Fire in Our Eyes
by brittany.heye
Summary: Bellarke story starting from the hug in season 2, differs from there. I suck at blurbs, but please give it a chance!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

Bellamy's POV:

We made our way towards the gate, I had the girl from Factory, O had Monroe. O. I still can't believe she's okay. Lincoln kept his promise. Lincoln, we have to find him, add him to the ever growing list of people I had to find. The rest of the 100, Clarke, Lincoln, and now Finn and Murphy. As the gates opened, I tensed. I don't trust the guard not to shoot me on site. We gave up our weapons, it was hard but necessary. The chancellor took the girl and Mel to medical, and before I could breathe free, I was suddenly hit with a force. I registered the blonde hair, and a comfortable feeling swept over me. I wrapped my arms around her, holding back so as not to kill her with the force in my hug. I whispered, "God, you're okay." She pulled back, as O said something about not believing what just happened, and I tried not to wince for her, and held in my growl. She looked like she had been tortured. Damn grounders.

"I'm glad you're okay." She smiled, "You to." I was still trying to process what just happened, and then it hit me, she was alone, the rest of our people were not behind her, besides Raven, who I saw heading for us. "How many with you?" Her face fell, "None." It was a punch to the gut, and her wounds made sense, she escaped, alone. Damn.

"Where's Finn?" I winced, "looking for you." Realization settled over both of us. Great, now I really had to find Finn, maybe Clarke's return would calm him down. "We need to talk." I nodded and O and Raven left us to talk, I followed her to a quite spot near the wall. "Who, and how." She smiled faintly, "I knew you would ask that." She took a deep breath, "It wasn't grounders Bellamy. It was the mountain men, Lincoln was right, they were pissed. They took us after we opened the doors the morning after the battle. Knocked us out with some sort of gas, and when we came to we were all there. No one is hurt, yet. The mountain men can't exist outside the mountain without safety suits. They didn't adapt to the radiation. They have been taking grounders, trying to use their blood to help them, they are experimenting on people. None have survived yet." She paused, looking pained. "They are going to try and use ours. I couldn't even warn them, they were going to kill me after telling me, Anya was taken. We escaped, she tried to kill me to. I killed her, hence my face, and here we are." The way she glazed over at the end, I knew she wasn't telling me the whole story, but I understood that. "How are you…?" I flinched.

"Finn and I knew what was coming. We headed for the foxholes, and tunnels. We made it just in time, it wasn't easy, and we got split up. A few others had the smarts to do the same. We found each other, saved Finn from grounders, and headed back to the camp. We got back and there was no one there. We panicked. And then the ark people showed up, arrested me because I beat the shit out of Murphy for leading them to our camp, and then snuck out of camp with Finn, Murphy and Monroe after they let me go, trying to find all of you." She sighed. "They arrested you for Jaha too didn't they." I nodded, and she got that pissed off look. "I knew when my mother wouldn't meet my eyes this morning when I asked after you and Finn. I was praying you guys made it somewhere." We sat in silence for a moment. "We need to get our people out of there. I'm going to go find mom."

"We will go talk to her together. We do make the best team after all." I smirked at her, and for a moment it was like we were going back in time, us in charge, the world on our shoulders, keeping our people alive.

We headed for medical, and as Abby was leaving we caught up. "They will be okay." Clarke focused her gaze on her mother, and Abby looked shocked, it wasn't a friendly gaze. "We aren't here for them. We need to talk about how we are going to get our friends out of a mountain fortress full of people trying to kill them." She froze, and then realized, "That is for us to decide." I smirked, wrong answer. Clarke took a step closer, "Mom, we are not just kids anymore. You sent us here to die, we survived, and Bellamy and I made sure of that, and knowing the Council, by the time you act, they will be dead. So let's try that again, shall we? How and when are we leaving for Mt. Weather?"

"You aren't. End of discussion Clarke, and as for him, he's still not allowed to be armed." Wrong answer again, Clarke tensed. "Chancellor, I think you might want to take a step back, before she swings." Abby looked at me and confusion, and then realized I meant her kid was two seconds from punching her and she looked shocked. "She doesn't take to kindly to be treated like a kid. Now how about we discuss plans?" Abby's eyes narrowed. "We are not discussing anything. Thelonious might have cleared you, but you are still a tr…" Clarke growled.

"Finish that sentence mother and I will hit you. Do you even know how to survive here? The guards won't last two seconds against grounders if they choose to attack, do you know how to hunt, skin, clean and cook meat? Do you know where it's safe to? I thought not. We do. And half those kids in that mountain, can save all of you. So I suggest you rethink how you talk to both of us. He knows more about how to keep us alive than me and all 48 of those kids combined." Abby turned to me, "I need to speak to Clarke, alone." I smirked and didn't move an inch. I was not scared of Abby Griffin. "He's not going anywhere. We lead together, we are a team. He's saved my life more times than I can count. And vice versa, so what did you want to say?"

"I wanted to say you're not allowed to speak to him, he is still under suspicion for beating a boy half to death, a boy that didn't return with him. You may have lead before Clarke, but we are here now, you can trust us to take over." Clarke snorted. "You don't get to mother me anymore. You sent me here. You don't like what I have become, that sucks for you. Bellamy is the reason you even get to talk to me. And I don't trust you. You turned in your own husband, sent your daughter to almost certain death, and so much more I am sure I will hear about later." I put my hand on her shoulders, because this was getting us nowhere. "Princess, leave it. She doesn't get it." Abby's eyes met mine. "I don't care what she thinks Clarke, there is more important things going on." Clarke huffed, grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hall, past her mother and deeper into the ship.

She pulled us into a room and then took a deep breath, and I looked at where we were. 'this is where you grew up isn't it." She nodded. I took in the room. It was huge compared to where I was raised, but it lookd cold, colder than the rest of the ark. "The warmth left with my dad." I nodded in understanding. I sighed, "fighting her isn't going to speed up the saving princess." She turned away from me, and headed for a door across the room, opened it and disappeared for a moment, and the returned, snorting. "She didn't touch a thing, good. And I know Bell. That's why we are getting the hell out of here ourselves. We will find Finn and Murphy and then figure shit out. But I'm not going to wait for her to get her head out of her ass anymore. She never will."

She headed for the door, before I realized she was holding something in her hand. "What's that?" She turned back to meet my eyes.

Clarke's POV:

Show him, don't show him…. "My sketch book." I am sick of being parted from it, thank god she didn't clear the room out yet. He cocked his head to the side, "You're what?" I held it out. He took it, and he realized what I meant. "Who's that?" He was looking at the first page, just a man with a window and earth behind him. "Take a guess." He smirked, "Your dad. Your pretty good princess." I smiled slightly, "thanks. Come on we got to go find Raven."

***Later**

We meet Raven at the rendezvous spot, and before we could even speak, Octavia made her appearance, and I tried not to laugh at her shocked expression when Bellamy handed her a pack and told her to get a move on. "Wait." It was Raven, she tapped the fence with her cane, and it zapped. We looked around, guards would be rotating soon, "I thought you were going to take care of it." She smirked, pulled out a walkie talkie. "Okay Wick." There was some sort of signal a minute later and when she tapped the fence again, it didn't make a sound. I smiled at her, and we headed out. I hadn't even made it through one full day in the Ark camp before I was gone, sneaking off, and probably pissing my mom off even more than I already had. I knew she would know Raven helped, but Raven can take care of herself, I had my people to find.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Bellamy's POV:

We walked through the forest for a while in complete silence, each lost in our thoughts and we were following the path I had come from earlier. We decided to rest for the night 5 hours after leaving camp. Octavia quietly cooked the rabbit she had gotten, and we ate, Clarke telling Octavia bits of her story, upon my sisters request. I watched the two interact, and I had a warm bubbly feeling in my chest. I took first watch, letting the two girls rest. I watched my sister's chest rise and fall, a habit I still had from the ark, wondering where she was in her dreams and hoping she's going to be okay. And then I turned my head, and watched Clarke's chest rise and fall. This girl had not stopped surprising me since day one on the ground. She wasn't afraid to stand up to me, or go against me, hence skywalker following her. He was a peace junkie and I was the exact opposite. My mother used to tell me I have fire in my veins. I wonder if she would tell this girl the same.

Clarke was an open flame, she burned so bright and the two of us, once we became a team, were unstoppable, or so we thought. Yet here we are, trying to rescue all of our people. I sat watching her lost in thought, until she began to stir and her eyes met mine, then I looked away. "There's something I haven't told you." She cocked her head like a curious puppy, sleep still evident in the silvery blue eyes. I looked at the ground and then back at her. "Finn. All of this has changed him. He executed the grounder who drew us the map. He pulled the trigger and walked away." She looked confused. "That doesn't sound like Finn."

"Losing you, the others, the war, it changed him. I saw that and I still gave him two automatic rifles and sent him and Murphy out there…" She smiled softly, "I'm sure it had to be done." I nodded. We fell silent, until I voiced the question burning in my mind. "Clarke, how long until chocolate cake turns into being turned upside down and being drained for your blood?" She looked down, "I don't know, which is why we have to hurry and find a way to save them."

"And Lincoln." O was awake. We nodded, "I think we have rested long enough." We put out the fire and followed my determined little sister further into the woods.

Clarke's POV:

Walking through the woods with the Blake siblings was like walking with a constant comedy. Octavia was tracking a trail she had picked up, Bellamy was following behind her, acting super protective, and every now and then would get to close and Octavia would turn and glare, causing a retreat, only for the same thing to happen again about 15 minutes later. I was trying so hard not to laugh, when we heard a shout. It sounded like Murphy, so we all took off running. "Finn, they are kids, women! Stop before you do something you will regret!" We saw a village opening up before us and grounders scrambling for weapons, and there in the center was Finn with a gun to an older grounders head. "Finn!" I didn't think I just shouted. "Stop, don't shoot, they had nothing to do with it!" Octavia was shouting something in trigdesling but I was focused on Finn. He whipped around and saw me and dropped the gun, and pushed the old guy away, racing for me. I froze, I didn't want him to hug me but he did anyway. "Oh thank god! Who found you! What happened?" I looked at him but before I could respond Bellamy answered, "Later Finn. We have other things to worry about." He faced Bellamy and realized they were still in a village surrounded by grounders. They were all staring. Everyone had heard stories about Clarke, the girl who burned 100 grounders to a crisp. Octavia was famous in her own right because of Lincoln, so the leader was listening to her and whatever she was saying to calm them down, and fifteen minutes later they were free to leave, understanding now because they too had lost to the mountain men.

"So princess, care to tell skywalker and I what the hell is going on?" I looked at Murphy, who looked dead serious for once. "The mountain men, that's what's going on," and he blanched. He had heard stories from the grounders about the mountain men.

"Who?" I rolled my eyes to the sky, and sighed. I was not in the mood to tell this story, again. "They were taken skywalker, to the mountain, and if we don't get them out soon, bad things are going to start happening, Clarke found out, escaped to find help, and we had to deviate from that mission to find you. And what the hell! That was a village full of elderly, children and women!" And the fighting begins again. "I thought they had our friends, and Clarke! I wasn't trying to start anything, I just was trying to save them!"

"Enough." Both boys faced me, and I met Bellamy's eyes first. We knew we had to get back to camp, but we also knew we had to find Lincoln, though I had a bad feeling that he was the same place our friends were. "O, we need to go back to camp before my mom sends the guard out to find us." She looked at me, "I know. I know Lincoln is out here but we need your mom to save our people, and I have a bad feeling that Lincoln is the same place they are…" We were on the same page. "I know O. I promise I will get my mom to do something." She met my eyes, "You should lead us Clarke, not her, what does she know? Besides no offense but your mom is a bitch." I laughed, full on laughed, more than I have in a while. "Bitch doesn't cut it for her O." We ignored the tension rolling off the three boys behind us and started back the way we came.

Octavia and I chatted on the way back to camp, I was trying to keep her mind off of Lincoln and I knew she was trying to keep mine away from what we were walking back to and who is behind me. Finn and I were still weird, of course, because of Raven. I love Raven so I'm having none of Finn's advances and he's still being persistent. We stopped to camp, and before Finn could put his sleeping bag near mine, I had a Blake sibling on either side of me, much to my appreciation. After eating the two rabbits we had caught today, we split off, Finn sulking and Murphy staring up at the sky. The Blake siblings sat down on their bags next to me and we started talking quietly.

"Thank you." They looked at me in confusion, "For blocking Finn I don't know if it was intentional or anything but thanks. I don't know what to say to him, and I don't know why he won't give up." Octavia smiled, "Anytime. Now I have a question. Why Anya? She tried to kill us all, multiple times." I sighed, to be honest I was going to do it alone, but then I saw her, and I had to help her, we were fine for a while, until she overtook me and said she was going to take me to her Commander as proof or something and then I ended up having to kill her…" She smiled at me and then she laid down and stared up at the stars, "I will never get used to seeing that from here, or at all." Bellamy and I laid down as well, "It looks so much cooler from down here, the trees and stuff added in, I would never change us being here, just maybe why we are here…" We were silent for a few minutes, until Octavia asked Bellamy for a story, about the stars, she wanted to hear the old stories now that she could actually see them. "Okay O, what story do you want?" "Orion." He chuckled, "figures you would go for the guy eternally chased by a snake." He took a deep breath and then launched into the tale.

"The ancient Greeks saw the figure of the Greek myth Orion in the nighttime sky. There are several different stories about the birth of Orion. According to one version of the myth, Orion was the son of a poor shepherd called Hyrieus. Once, Zeus, Hermes, and Poseidon stopped by Hyrieus' house. Hyrieus was so generous with his guests that he killed the only animal he had-an ox. Hyrieus was not aware that his guests were gods. The gods wanted to reward Hyrieus' generosity by granting him a wish. Hyrieus' biggest desire was to have a child. The gods told him to bury the hide of the bull he had sacrificed to them and to pee on it. After nine months, a boy was born in that place. The child became a very handsome and strong man. He was such a good hunter that he was hired by the king Oenopion to kill the ferocious beasts that were terrifying the habitants of the island Chios. Happy for his success, Orion said he would kill all the wild animals on the earth. But the earth goddess Gaia, who was the mother of all animals, was not pleased with Orion's intention. Then, Gaia set an enormous scorpion on Orion. Orion soon realized that his strength and sword were useless against that mighty beast. He tried to escape, but the scorpion stung him to death. As a reward, Gaia placed the scorpion in the sky as a constellation which appears to be constantly chasing after Orion whose figure was also placed among the stars." By the time he finished we were all silent, raptured. Octavia had fallen asleep, and the other three of us were laying down, but staring at the stars. "You're good at that." He rolled onto his side, "Am I now?" I laughed quietly at the smirk, and he smiled back. "Goodnight Bell." Quietly, he answered, "Night princess."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

**Morning***

We quickly struck down camp and continued back to camp Jaha, and I wondered how to tell Lincoln when we found him that the boy who first reached out for peace with his people almost assassinated his entire village.

As we walked, I steadily ignored Finn, maintaining conversation with Octavia, and occasionally Murphy and Bellamy, or lost in thought, but I couldn't bring myself to talk to Finn. I was still trying to reconcile the Finn I knew with the Finn we had seen in that village, and what Bellamy had told me he did while I was held in the mountain. I could tell it was pissing him off that I was avoiding him, since supposedly he did everything he did for me, and I wanted nothing to do with him but what else was I supposed to do? Hell I would talk to Murphy before walking with him. And that says something.

"Deep in thought are we princess?" I meet warm brown eyes when I took mine off the ground I had been so focused on. "Ya, just a lot of things to figure out." He looked behind me at the source of one of my problems and then beyond that to the peak of the mountain we could see in the distance that we knew was holding our friends and he sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if coming to the ground was worth it." A quiet admission that shocked me, as I was used to the confidence and fire he seemed to possess. "It was worth it Bellamy. Without the ground a lot of the 100 would be dead, your sister included, when they turned 18. I would have been floated for my father's secret, and everyone on the ark probably would have died up there." He thought for a minute, "Yes, but how many are going to die down here? Between the grounders and now the mountain, who knows how many we will lose." I sighed and dropped a hand on his shoulder, "I have faith that things will get better here, and not everything will have to be a fight. We have to hold on to that hope Bellamy, or all we will have is despair and who wants to live like that?"

"You know sometimes it's hard to remember you are only 18 princess. You carry so much and have seen so much. It's weird to think that three months ago we were all on the ark. It feels like a life time ago. You lead a group of people all of whom are 18 and younger and had the world thrust on them by a group of adults that didn't care if they lived or died." I smiled, "It's hard to remember that you are only 20. You lead a group of kids same as me. And I have to say, we did pretty well, up till the mountain men made themselves known, and we will get them out of there Bell. I am not going to give up, and I know you won't either. Whatever that means, even if it involves going behind the council, leaving camp Jaha, truce with the grounders, I don't care so long as it gets our friends out of that mountain." That got the smile I was looking for.

We continued on and as we were nearing camp, Finn apparently couldn't wait any longer to talk to me. "Hey." I thought about ignoring him, but I gave in, "Hey." He smiled, "I am glad you're okay." I sighed. "Do I look okay to you? Does anything about our situation seem okay to you?" He looked confused so I plowed on, not caring who heard what I said. "You almost killed an entire village of innocents in my name Finn, do you realize that? That is not okay, that gets put on me. You shot someone point blank, after he gave you what you wanted. That is not okay. You left Raven out of everything, you left her in camp barley able to walk Finn, and she loves you too much to tell you how messed up that is. You didn't tell me you had a girlfriend either, which is the source of all of our problems. I am not going to start going out with you just because Rven broke up with you, and I would love it if you could maybe focus on our bigger problems, like the fact that all of our friends are in mortal danger, and we have no way to get to them." I was prepared to keep going, but a hand fell on my shoulder. "I think he gets it Clarke." I met Octavia's eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry Finn. I know you were worried about us, but I need time to reconcile the things I thought I knew about you with the truth, and then maybe we can be friends again, but I don't think I will ever date you." He looked so sad, and angry but I had way more important things to worry about, like the fact that we could see the gate to camp now, and I was soon going to be faced with a very angry mother.

As we walked through the gates, and were forced to give up our weapons, I hid one in the waistband of my pants, not willing to be unarmed. And then my mother was upon us. "Clarke Marie Griffin!" I heard Murphy snort, "Marie?" but I was more focused on the angry woman who was almost my mirror approaching. "Is it too late to turn and run back out?" Bellamy laughed and walked off with Octavia and the others, leaving me alone. As mom got closer, I cut off the beginnings of her lecture.

"I don't care. I did what I had to do, and will continue to do so to get my friends back, and since the council doesn't seem to give a damn about 48 innocents stuck in a mountain fortress facing certain death, I have to deal with it how I see fit. Well actually how Bellamy and I see fit as those are our people stuck in that mountain. You don't like that, well to bad. I'm not the Clarke that will bend to your will anymore mom. I haven't been since before dad was floated. And I still haven't forgiven you for that." I pushed past her, but she grabbed my arm. "You are a citizen of the ark, both of you are, you are required by law to follow the orders of the council. I do not care what you think of the council, or our leadership you must follow the law. You are the chancellors daughter, you do not get a choice." We were having this argument, fine. In public, even better, might as well make everything known. "You made the choice to accept that pin mom, not me. I haven't been a citizen of the ark since the ark sent me and 100 other innocent kids to die. Sure we were criminals, but did that mean we deserved to be dropped onto a radioactive wasteland, facing certain death? No. You are not really my mom anymore either. The mom I know wouldn't turn her husband in because he was doing as he saw best, and my mom would not sit back and dilly dally on the saving of 48 kids at the hands of crazy people that her daughter had just escaped from. So I'm sorry Chancellor Griffin, but I am not just going to fall back into line. I am a leader now. Bellamy is a leader now. Those kids are our people and our responsibility and we are going to save them, with or without your help. But it will happen, and it will happen soon because if it doesn't they will be turned upside down and drained for their blood! And that, mother dearest, will be on you!"

There was shocked silence, and then my mom fired back, "You will do as I say Clarke. I am your mother and your chancellor. You are forbidden from speaking with Bellamy Blake and Raven and the other remaining members of the 100, and I will make sure this is enforced, you will have a guard escort. Now go to our room." I laughed, actually laughed, but before I could say anything in retaliation Octavia was at my side. "That will stop nothing Chancellor. You council people don't get it. This isn't space, this is the ground. Things are different here, and Bellamy and Clarke kept us alive, so if you think that we will let you restrict Clarke from us your delusional, and if you think that she won't just sneak away, you don't know your kid very well. Besides she has done way better at leading people then you seem to be."

I smirked, and Bellamy piped up. "Without Clarke, the 100 wouldn't have survived, more than fifty percent of us owe her the credit of saving our lives, they respect her and I more than they will ever respect the adults that sent them to hell, and floated their families. So sorry Chancellor but Clarke is coming with us, and we are going to figure out how to save our friends." Before he could move however, Major Byrne had a gun pointed at him, and guards surrounded me and Octavia and my mother.

"Put the gun down." I said it calmly but I was anything but calm. And then as if by magic, Monroe, Harper, Raven, Murphy and Finn moved in front of Bellamy. "Shoot him you shoot us." It was Raven, and god did she look pissed.

I smirked at my mom, "So what is it going to be mom. Are you going to kill them all, are you going to shoot a bunch of kids?" My mom frowned but said nothing so I tapped Octavia's arm twice and in seconds she had the guard nearest her in a head lock with her sword at his throat.

"It looks like we are at an impasse Chancellor, now tell them to drop the gun and he keeps his head, they don't, he doesn't, and I am very good with this blade." I pulled my own weapon while Octavia kept them busy and moved to point it at Byrne's head. "You heard her, gun on the ground and step away from him. Now." Byrne looked to my mother, who finally nodded, and she dropped the gun and Octavia released the guard she had. I put my gun down and then meet my mom's eyes. "Congrats Chancellor you avoided a messy situation, now if you will excuse us we have things to figure out." Guards parted like the parting of the Red Sea as the remaining members of the 100 walked off to their corner of their camp and I smiled, proud of these kids for standing up for themselves and their friends.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

We planned on keeping a low profile after the confrontation with my mother, but that did not last long. We were approached by parents of the 100, disenchanted arkers and others about going back to the dropship and rebuilding camp, or making a new camp somewhere separate from the Ark. People were unhappy that the council refused to change its ways now that they were on the ground, and after my confrontation with my mom, appalled that they didn't see what they have caused, and the lies they have weaved. I was being asked to talk to the council and get us a camp of our own, but I told people that my first concern was rescuing the rest of the 100, and then I would figure out how to get us our own camp that would be open for anyone who wants to leave the outdated council.

Bellamy's POV:

After yesterday, things have been down right crazy, but the chancellor hasn't retaliated yet, so hopefully I will be allowed to keep my head, and O will as well. Her and Clarke are a good team, and they work well together, I didn't even see their signals yesterday, but it's still hard to trust anyone with her that isn't me. But I have to admit it was nice to see Clarke in action again. She stood up to her mom, and it was like looking into a mirror and seeing what everyone else saw when she used to stand up to me. A million memories fly by when I remember those days, the fear, the pain, the constant weight on my shoulders, I felt like Atlas, until she came along. She was the person sent to help my Atlas hold the sky up. She fought me, I fought her, and together we kept those kids alive, and seeing that fight yesterday, just helped to remind me how far we have all come. Clarke hid a gun from the arkers, saved my life, stood up to her mother, and has done so much for the 100. Octavia isn't an innocent little girl anymore, she's strong, and a fighter, mom would be proud. And then there's me. I have lost what O used to call my asshole face. I know how to lead the right way now, and I owe that to Clarke.

I watched her meet with people, and was impressed, we had people other than the parents of the 100 asking to find a camp away from the Ark. Add that to the list of things we are going to have to pull off, right under finding Lincoln and saving the 48 kids living in a mountain fortress.

**Later***

Abby could no longer overlook what her fight with her daughter has started, and to make things worse for her, her biggest supporter, Marcus, is still gone. We have bigger problems than that though, because the grounders have made themselves known again. There was two of them at the gates, demanding that Abby turn over the remaining 100. They said we must pay for the blood we shed at the dropship, and that the falling of the Ark has caused. She refused and they gave her 24 hours to change her mind before they attack. Clarke had taken off after her mother towards the council room, and I trusted her to keep Abby from sending us to our deaths, but that decision also means battle, and none of the arkers are prepared for that, not even the guard. I was surprised they said nothing about Finn's near massacre fiasco, but I guess one minor miracle at a time. I got back to the 100's quarters and found them in panic. "Guys! Calm down! We are not going to hand ourselves over to them!" Everyone fell silent, and like always looked to me for leadership. I sighed, but then suddenly Clarke was back, and pulling on my arm. "Give Bellamy and I a few minutes to talk and then we will tell you the plan."

She pulled me into her tent and closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom is sending someone to talk to the Commander of the army, I guess she's the leader of all the grounders, but she apparently agreed to meet with someone, to discuss terms… I'm not sure if this is going to work, but it's going to have to. Mom is adamant that no kids are getting put to death." Kids. I am not a kid; I wonder if she is going to offer me as a sacrificial lamb… "I'm going to go. I volunteered. No one voted against it except mom. I'm going to do this Bellamy. I am going to..." I cut her off. "No. No way. Clarke you said it yourself! This could be a trap!"

"Bell, I have to get us off the hook. This commander, I heard about her from Anya. She has united the clans, and I think if given the right terms, might agree to ally with us, they are all against the mountain. If we do this, we have a sure fire army against the mountain!"

"What if they kill you. Clarke, we can't do this without you!" I stared at her, and watched the fire in her eyes darken. "Bellamy I need you trust me. I will do this, and I will come back. I think I can get us peace. Trust me to do this Bell." I sighed, "I don't like it, but fine. You get to tell them you are going to offer yourself up." She sighed, "I will tell them, but I'm doing this for them."

**Clarke's POV***

I followed the grounder escorts into the woods, my mind racing, trying to figure out all the right things to say, when I felt a presence behind me. I turned around, and wouldn't you know it, there was Octavia, walking behind us. I stopped, and when she caught up, "What the hell O?!" She smirked, so like her brother, "You really think I'm letting you go alone. I convinced your mom after you left the council room to let me go as well, they know that's why I'm not dead." She nodded to the grounders ahead of me as she spoke. I swallowed, "Yea but you and I both will be when we get back, I can feel the glare now." She laughed, actually laughed, swung an arm over my shoulders, "We can deal with Bell later. What are you going to say to this Commander person?" I sighed, "I haven't figured that part out yet. But the goal is to get her on our side to help us get the others, I saw things in there, I know what's happening there, and I know how many people she has in there along with ours, so I think I'm going to see if using that will help." She nodded, "I got your back." I smiled, this girl has grown so much from the girl who chased butterflies and jumped headlong into a river. She was loyal, and kind and smart.

We entered the grounder camp, the two of us sticking close together, and we were lead to the giant tent in the middle of the camp, and according to Octavia, who knew a little Trigdesling, that we were told to wait. We stood there for twenty minutes taking in our surroundings, and then were ushered into the tent under the hard stare of a woman with an awful lot of scars. "Heda will see you now." We were soon faced with a young girl, couldn't be much older than the girl next to me, sitting in a throne with some insane black face paint. "So you are the mighty Clarke that burned 300 of my warriors alive." Her gaze turned to O, who was staring straight back with sheer determination on her face, "And your Lincoln's pet." I grabbed O, as she bristled at the comment, and then stepped forward. "And you are the commander that sent 300 warriors to kill a camp full of kids, yes we all know each other. Now the real question is, do you want to know what I know about our common enemy, your bigger threat, or are we going to continue to play petty." The girl looked shocked, and I heard the woman to our left growl. "You are very brave, Clarke com Skikru. What is it that you think you know?" I smirked, at least she was listening, that was a start. "I know how many of your people are trapped in the mountain, I know what they are doing to them, and I know that you are the grounder Commander known for peace, and I want to give you a new chance at peace, and to save your people." She thought for a minute, "Indra, lead everyone out except these two and yourself." The gruff woman who had led us in nodded and when her task was complete she came to stand at the Commander's left. "Speak Clarke."

"I have an intimate knowledge of the mountain, because their leader knew that I was the leader of the kids they had captured, and that unless I went along with things, the others most likely would not. I was given a tour, and when I snuck away after said tour, I discovered all that they did not show me. Your people are being turned into Reapers, because they are addicted to a certain drug, others are being drained of their blood so that the people of the mountain will be able to survive outside it without the masks and suits. They were having little success with your people, so now they have mine." I paused and tossed a braid from Anya's hair into her lap, "Anya and I escaped, we were coming to report to both of our leaders, sadly she did not make it. She said you would know what that meant." I nodded to the rope of hair, lying through my teeth, hopping I hadn't said too much. "Heda…" The girl turned to Indra, and the two murmured in Trigdesling for a few moments, "We have a question for your friend." O stepped forward, and Indra asked, "Where is Lincoln?" O took a deep breath, closed her eyes and launched into her tale. "Lincoln took me from the battle a few weeks ago at the dropship, because I was wounded. We left before Clarke turned on the engines. He ran with me, a few days later he went to check something and never came back. We believe he is now the same place as the others. I am going to get him out. He saved me twice, it is my turn to save him." The Commander looked impressed. Her and Indra discussed further in their language and then she turned. "My formal name is Heda, my name is Lexa, and I am curious as to how you think this information will save you from the fate you are to meet." I sighed, "Because without me you do not have the inside scoop on the mountain, without my people's technology you have no way to defeat them alone, and your people will all die along with mine, and since you are the Commander of peace, I believe that you will see that we can work together to achieve our goals." Lexa thought it over, and then gave a small nod, to what I wasn't sure. "You are very eloquent Clarke com Skikru. Very well I will consider your offer, but I only will work with you and I understand you do not lead alone. Your co-leader will be involved as well. As for the others in your leadership, they will not be dealt with." I smirked, oh mom is gonna love that. "My co-leader is Bellamy Blake, this is his sister, Octavia Blake. We thank you, and I will carry your wish to the council. I promise we will get your people out as well as mine, but I need you to promise that our people are of equal priority, because without that promise, we will have a problem." There was tense silence, and then, "I give you my word as Heda that your people and mine are of equal importance in this mission. Anything else?"

"I want there to be peace between our people Commander. I believe that if we work together we could help each other improve and help each other survive."

"We will discuss that matter at a later date. For now, report to your people all that has been said here. And tomorrow at sunrise I will send to horses and guides for you and your co leader and you will join me and we will find a way to bring down the mountain." I nodded, and Octavia and I were lead out of the tent and back to the edge of the grounder camp, where we were given our weapons back, and then we headed for camp. "You did it Clarke! Oh I can't wait to see the look on your moms face!" I laughed softly, I knew this was only the beginning and that we had a long way to go. I had to make my mother see reason, get Bellamy to agree to work with people he hates, and find a way in so that Lexa doesn't give up, because if she does that means death, and that isn't an option.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Bellamy's POV****

I watched my sister dash through the gate after Clarke and found my anxiety doubling. Finn and Raven were next to me, and Raven started to laugh. "Leave it to your sister to find a way to go wherever she wants." I growled. If Clarke knew about this, I will be pissed. I began pacing and didn't stop until we saw to dots that would soon become people heading back to camp.

When Clarke and O walked back in, I knew Clarke had done it but she still looked concerned. So I wasn't sure what to think until she met my eyes and nodded towards the ark. I fell into step, and as we headed for the ark and probably the council, she whispered, "I had nothing to do with O, ask her. And don't kill me because I need you on my side in there." I whispered back, "I got your back Clarke. I had a feeling it was all her doing." O laughed on the other side of Clarke, and then the three of us were at the council chamber.

Clarke stood her ground, and eventually her mother and the others had no choicee, they agreed to let Bellamy and Clarke handle any interaction with the grounders. The three left the room, waiting until they got further down the hall before celebrating.

"We have the alliance, now we need a plan to use it, to get our people out. I'm done waiting for my mother and the council, I have the power we need to get them out. Lexa made the deal with me and no one else. So any ideas?" Clarke looked to me and O.

"We need an inside man." They both faced me, equal looks of hell no on their faces. "Hear me out, if Clarke can get out, I can get in. The 48 need someone they trust, because soon they will realize Clarke was right. If I go in, find cover where I can help them without anyone knowing? It will work. Besides, there is women and children in there. We need a plan that doesn't kill anyone. I can buy us time, and you guys can make the plan with Lexa." Octavia looked pissed, Clarke however beat her to the punch. "No. That plan is way too dangerous, there are way too many things that could go wrong. We need to come up with a safer plan, but to make you happy, that can be a contingency plan, but I can't lose you to Bell, so first we find another way in."

"Clarke..." She shook her head and I knew to drop it for now, "Fine but if we don't come up with something else soon, that's the plan." I stared them both down, before Clarke sighed and gave in, Octavia however didn't give in just shook her head and walked away.

**Clarke POV**

I knew Bellamy's plan made sense, but I just couldn't let him do it. I needed him, without him I wouldn't be able to lead, I wouldn't be able to live. He was my other half. He was the strength in our leadership, the fire, and without that fire… I don't even want to think about that. I was so lost in thought I missed footsteps approaching, Bell however, did and poked me in the side.

I turned to find Finn staring at me and Bellamy. I sighed, and looked up at the man beside me, he seemed to understand what I was silently conveying, "I need to talk to him." He placed a hand on my shoulder in silent support and then left. I turned back to face the boy who just wouldn't give up. Before he could speak I started the conversation. "Finn, where is Raven? I need to pick her brain for a plan to give the grounders." His face fell, "I think she is in her shop with Sinclair and some engineer… Clarke can we talk?" I met his eyes, "No. You have Raven, Finn. Let me go. Make her happy." I left him standing there and went to find Raven.

I found Raven in her workshop with Sinclair. "Ray, I need to bounce some ideas off of you, are you free? Hello Sinclair." The older man nodded at me and took his leave, "I am free, what's up?"

"We need to come up with a plan to bring to the grounders, I need one that doesn't entil sending someone to their death." She sighed, "Bellamy told you his plan then?" My head shot up, "You knew?!" She looked down, "It's a good plan Clarke. He wants to save them, he wants to help. He is smart, he would be okay." I shook my head, "I am not losing him to that mountain Raven." I took a deep breath.

**Bellamy POV**

"I am not losing him to that mountain Raven." I froze. I heard her voice floating out of Raven's workshop, and I knew what they were talking about so I couldn't help but linger to listen. "When I was in that mountain Raven, the others… they wouldn't listen to me, they didn't know… I didn't know what would happen if we stayed, but I felt something was off. I was their leader, and I couldn't lead them. I can't do this without him. Without him, they all still see the Princess, he is who they really follow. If he goes into that mountain without me, I won't be able to lead. I'm not strong enough to do this without him, so we need a different plan." He heard Raven, "Clarke, you are strong enough, those kids had just fought a war and then been taken somewhere. They wanted to believe they were safe, that isn't on you." I closed my eyes.

I understood her dislike of the plan now, she didn't see herself the way we saw her. She didn't see the fire I see in her, the strength it had to have taken to stand up to her mother and go against her, but something happened that made her feel like she wasn't enough. Hell I couldn't lead without her, I was man enough to see that. She made me better, made me the leader those kids needed, I couldn't have kept them alive without her. "Raven, please. I need a plan where I don't lose him as well." I pushed myself off the wall I had leant against. I had to find a way to make the princess see she was so much more than just a princess, she was my brave princess, and she meant as much to those kids as I did.

**Clarke POV**

"So, any ideas?" Raven sighed, "No, but I will brainstorm. I'll meet up with you in a few hours. Hey, bye the way, have you seen Finn?" I sighed internally. He was the only thing standing in the way of this friendship. "Ya, I saw him outside, if I see him again I can send him your way if you want. Let him know you were looking for him." She nodded. "Hey Clarke?" I faced her, "You are a great leader, I followed you, not Bellamy at first. So did Monty, and Octavia. The others know you care just as much as Bellamy." I just nodded and went on my way.

I was lost in thought, trying to find a different plan, until I felt a presence behind me. I turned to find Thelonious Jaha staring at me. "Jaha." He had a puzzling look on his face. "Clarke, can we talk? I have some questions for you." I closed my eyes, I knew these questions would be about Wells. But I was saved from an awkward conversation by Bellamy, he had a book in his hand. "Princess, I need your help with something." He looked up, "Oh, I can…" Jaha shook his head, "Continue on Mr. Blake. Clarke and I can speak at another time." I let out a sigh of relief as he walked away. I still wasn't ready to talk about Wells.

"Thank you." I whispered as we walked away from the former chancellor. "He wants to talk about Wells and what happened to him, I can't bridge that gap yet." He smiled his crooked smile, "Your welcome princess." He paused, and then met my eyes, "you know if that was anyone's fault it was mine. I gave her the knife and told her to slay her daemons." I smiled, always trying to take the burden.

"Bell, it wasn't your fault. You didn't know she would go after Wells. She was a lonely, scared, messed up kid, and that was the councils fault." I put a hand on his arm, "Charlotte did what she did for her own reasons, and we can't change them now. Besides, Wells wouldn't have ever given in Bell. He was stubborn, like his father. He believed in the man his father was, and he believed in the system in which we lived before. He was never meant for life here. Sometimes I don't think he would even recognize me now, and that he couldn't after prison either." I took a deep breath. "Anyway, what did you need?" Bellamy seemed to search my face and then decided he wouldn't push it. "I have a different idea." He held up an old book, mythology. I tilted my head, waiting to see where this was going. "Clarke, what do the Mountain Men want more than anything?"

"To live outside the mountain." He nodded, "exactly. So if we find a way for them to do that, without the need of blood, they would have no reason to hold our friends, and if that doesn't work, at the very least the offer can act as a Trojan horse. We send a signal that we want to talk, we get groups to sneak off while we deliberate and then even if they don't agree, we have a rescue committee waiting." I tilted my head, "it is a good theory, but Bell they aren't stupid. They have a massive security system, they would see people leaving the initial group, and they wouldn't trust us to begin with because we have them, they had me, and I had no other ideas to give them, I still don't."

"But you're not the sole doctor on this earth anymore. Your mom, the kid that shadows her, they may have some ideas, and they may have security systems, but we have a Raven." I smiled. "It may work, but Bell, even if it doesn't, we will find something." He slung an arm around my shoulders, "You will find it Clarke, you're the brains of this operation." I laughed, "I am not. You have suggested two plans; I have suggested none…wait. What about…no it couldn't be that simple…"

"I'm gonna need more words Clarke, what's going on in your head?" I met his eyes. "Do you remember when the grounders were coming, and we had to get the bridge taken out?" He nodded, "We know where the main water supply is, the water supply powers the whole mountain. The solar panels don't collect enough sun to power them alone for long. If we take out the power, and then force the door open, they will either have to fight, or give them up. And their guard is too small to take out an army like Lexa's. Bell, the Ark may still have some chemicals that Raven could use to make a bomb to blow the damn!" He was smiling, "See, the brains. That beats my plan by a landslide Princess! Now how do we get Lexa to just openly march against a still armed mountain. And what about the kids? If they see us coming, they may start hurting them." I grinned, "We have a Raven. You were on to something there. She can either kill the cameras, or kill the security system all together, when the security system crashes the whole mountain can only be accessed remotely. The kids are in a dormitory, with a lockable door. If Raven locks it before she kills the system, they can't get in to harm them, and they can't get out to accidently stumble into a fight. We tell Lexa that we can control the cameras with our tech, that by the time we get there the mountain will be blind. And while we are at it, Raven can lock the doors to the lab to, so that the grounder prisoners won't be harmed either. I think this may actually work! We need to talk to Raven, see if she and the other techs could do it." I was giddy with relief, I wanted our people safe as soon as possible.

"Princess, you are a genius! And if the grounders agree, we could have our people back, and peace all at once." I grinned up at him, "Okay so maybe I did have a good idea swimming around. Bell, you do know Octavia is going to want to fight. Especially since I have a sinking feeling that Lincoln is the same place as our friends." He closes his eyes, and took a deep breath. "I know, I will figure that out when we get there, now let's find Raven."

**Bellamy POV**

The fire was glowing in her eyes again; I could see it. I knew my plan had lots of holes, I was hoping to prompt something out of her by just spewing things, and it worked. I did. She was smiling, and the fire had been rekindled in those blue eyes. I can't understand why that makes me so happy, but it does. I can't stop the grin from edging onto my face, and I know it is because she is happy, and because we have a plan that could work now, but for some reason that smile on Clarke's face and the gleam in her eye, had me feeling like I could set the world on fire.

We found Raven exactly where Clarke had left her twenty minutes ago. "Raven! I have an idea, but it relies on your awesome brain, do you think you could hack into the Mountain Men's system, replace the security feed, or shut it down and manually lock some doors?" Raven thought for a moment, "I would have to find their signal, and find a way in, a back door… I could, depending on their system, do all that why?" Clarke grinned, and then launched into her plan.

When she finished she asked, "Can you do it? I have to have a plan to take to Lexa in the morning, something to at least start us down this path, do you think you could find the back door, and find stuff to make some more bombs?" Raven thought for a moment, "Ya I think I could, it may take some time to find their signal though. Unless, do you think you could convince your mom that this is priority, and get some other wrench monkey to do the repairs around here, and find some people who could help me with this?"

"Oh most definitely." Raven grinned, "Then you have your plan. I am going to start. And Clarke I changed my mind. If you see Finn, I don't want to be distracted by him." Clarke nodded and then we left the room.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Bellamy's POV**

We were following two guards to wherever Lexa had moved her camp. It was just me, Clarke and O. I knew she wouldn't be okay being left behind with big things at stake, so I didn't even fight it when she appeared at Clarke's side. "I hope she likes this plan, because we don't have any other viable options."

"Yes, we do." She met my eyes, "No." I sighed. If the commander doesn't take this plan, I may have to suggest the backup, we may not have a choice, and she may end up hating me, but it will save our people.

We were walking behind the silent grounder guides for about thirty minutes until we reached a ravine, filled with a massive grounder army camp. I whistled quietly and Octavia and Clarke seemed to be focused on the large tent in the middle of everything. We were led to that tent and announced. We ducked in and found ourselves face to face with a girl that couldn't be older than O, if she was, she was definitely not my age, or Clarke's. The girl's eyes darted to me momentarily before landing on Clarke. "Clarke, did your council accept our terms?"

"Yes, and Bellamy and I have come up with a plan. If you will hear us out to the end, I think you will find it a good one." Once again I felt the commander's eyes on me. But she quickly focused on Clarke again. I stepped up next to her, quietly, knowing she would need the support. "We have a tech person, Raven, who can hack into the mountain's system, and lock it down, leaving them blind. If we then blow the damn, and thus their energy supply we have them at their knees. We can lock the doors to access both of our groups in the mountain before shutting the system down, meaning they won't be able to get in, meaning they will be safe, and we can deal with any resistance they may have." She took a breather for plowing on, "Raven will need a few days at the most to hack their system and get in, which means until she does we have to distract them." I don't remember this part of the plan. I looked at O, who shook her head minutely. I trusted Clarke, so I would go with it. "How do you suggest we do that." Clarke smirked, "They will find out about this agreement of ours. We keep them worried about what we are gonna do, until Raven does her thing. We have a few heated arguments and throw around false plans until Raven is in, then we bring our people home." The girl seemed to think over everything, and then once again I was staring at bright green eyes. "You have said nothing, Bellamy kom Skaikru. What do you think of this plan?" I smirked. "I think it will work. Raven is brilliant, if anyone can dismantle the mountain it's her." She nodded and turned away to think, and pace.

"I agree with this plan. I assume your Raven is already beginning?" We nodded in unison. "Very well. I expect reports regularly on how things are going. Tomorrow if we are not already in, we will have an argument to keep them looking out, but Clarke, may I suggest one more thing. Argue with your mother." We all froze, how in the hell did she know about that? "What."

"We heard whispers around your camp while we were in the area. We know things. Fight with her. If the mountain thinks Skaikru is weak and fighting amongst themselves, they will act more slowly." Clarke thought for a moment before nodding. "I can do that. Octavia will report back to you every few hours, I will check in at dusk. Octavia has a radio in which you can contact us. She will teach you how to use it." Lexa nodded. I took a deep breath, but knew I needed to let O do this. So I met her eye and narrowed my own, letting her know we would be talking later about volunteering for that, before I followed Clarke out of the tent.

"She has taken an interest in your sister. I hope it is for Lincoln's sake." Clarke turned to face me. "I'm sorry, but O's the only one she seems genuinely interested in besides me. That's why I let her do that." I nodded, "I trust you Clarke, its them I am still working on trusting." She nodded and turned to head back to camp. "Did you notice her staring at me?" She turned to face me. "No, but it was most likely because you were the player in the room she had never met before. Not to mention you are trained in a way that me and Octavia aren't."

"Trained?" She smiled softly, "Trained to fight, better, and with different weapons then them. Bell, you are the one that could cause her the most harm, it's probably why she was so interested in you. She was sizing you up, and don't tell me you didn't do the same." Okay so I had, but trained better than the people that had been picking us off since we got here? I didn't see it. Clarke obviously did, and she trusted me, I know that, but I couldn't see myself as that big of a threat. Although if they screw us over, I will be that threat.

Clarke's pov***

When we made it back to camp, I split away from Bell, who had a shift on gate duty, and went to check in on Raven's progress. When I found her however, she was in the middle of an argument with my mother. The mother who had supposedly been on board for finding another repair monkey.

"Raven the generator isn't working. You are the only one who has been able to fix it. Please? It probably won't take long."

"No Abby, I have to work on this! You know that! Wick engineered the damn thing, he can fix it. If he can't Sinclair has six other guys at least that landed with you that can. We have been over this. The mountain is my priority. Clarke said so." My mother huffed.

"Clarke is not your Chancellor, Raven." Before she could continue I cut her off. "No, but Clarke does control the alliance with the grounders, and the plan has their approval now so Raven really needs to focus, Chancellor so if you want to pick a fight, pick it with me not the one person who can save those kids." She huffed but started to leave. "Find me in a few minutes Clarke. We need to talk."

I groaned before facing Raven. "So I threw in those last minuet things we discussed to really sell the plan. It worked. But I could only buy you a week tops. And Raven, if she keeps bugging you send her to me. Lexa thinks it would be wise to distract the mountain by making them think that skaikru is fighting amongst themselves, aka me vs mom, so send her my way." Raven nodded, "I found their signal but its gonna take me a while to backdoor it. If Monty were here he could probably help, but well he's not, so I'm gonna have to work a little harder. But I think the week should be enough time to get in, and we may get lucky and get in before that, but if you want this done quickly, as soon as I am in I will lock the doors, and kill their cameras, but your gonna have to get there fast, because they probably could find ways around my hacks if they had too much time. I will fight them off by hack as long as I can but you need those battle plans finished before I get in."

"I will inform Lexa and Bell and get on that. What about the bomb to blow the damn? We are probably gonna have to send people there to do that right before your all the way in right? So we can blow it the minuet you lock those doors, slow them down even more…"

"Ya, that would probably be the best way to slow them down more… Clarke, you have to know who will volunteer for that the minuet you bring it up…" I sighed, "ya, Bell. I know. But at least this way I can send a few others with him, not just send him alone. More chances for survival this way." She nodded. I left her to work, and went to find my mother.

I found her in our old rooms, staring at a board with a bunch of projects listed on it. "You wanted to see me Chancellor?" She huffed, "Clarke Marie Griffin don't sass your mother." I rolled my eyes. "You know that Raven is the best engineer in this camp, yet you have her distracted with some half-cocked plan to save 48 people when there are twice that number here that also need her help."

"Mom, there are other engineers. Raven is the only one who can do this. The grounders agreed to the plan, so it must not be to half-cocked. And even if it is, the 100 are priority because people here can survive a little chill, the 100 are facing way worse, so excuse me for caring more about them. You should care about them as well, considering their knowledge about the ground will save everyone here."

"Oh Clarke, always so dramatic. We don't need children to tell us how to survive." I coughed a cold laugh. "Yes, you do. I've been observing camp, you're not doing anything right, and you're not doing anything efficiently. We know how to do those things. So let's get them out and then get this camp truly under way shall we? Now I need to check in on Monroe, and Octavia who should be back from Lexa's camp, and just generally get to rescuing. So goodbye mother." I left her staring at me open mouthed and marched out of the Ark, only to find mayhem at the gate.

Octavia was back, but that wasn't the problem. The mayhem was Marcus Kane, pointing a gun at Bellamy Blake and screaming about things I couldn't quite make out. I quickly rushed there, as Octavia joined in on the yelling. "You can't lock him up Kane. He has been cleared! He is on guard duty!"

"He is a traitor!" I made it just in time for that comment and growled myself. "Shut it Kane." He whipped around, clearly confused. "Clarke?"

"Yes, you idiot! Drop the damn gun. Bellamy has been cleared. Mom cleared him, and put him in the guard rotation. Not to mention he and I are the only two the grounders trust with the truce we literally just solidified, so you will get an arrow in your back if a scout happens to see you pointing a weapon at him!" He was still gawking at me, but had enough sense to lower the weapon. Bellamy had been stoically holding his hands up but, when I had joined the conversation that famous smirk of his made an appearance.

My mother, of course, chose that moment to show up. "Kane? What is going on here?"

"Kane here tried to arrest me." I snorted, "and held you at gun point." Octavia spoke up, "and of course none of your so called guards tried to stop him, really, stellar job here Chancellor." I snickered and held a hand out to O, waiting for the high five, which I quickly received. Bellamy, of course, had the last word. "But have no fear chancellor, Clarke caught him up to speed and saved my ass, since no one else was gonna step up." My mother looked unamused, and slightly pissed, and Kane just stared at me, confusion evident on his face. I turned to Bellamy, ignoring our audience. "Raven is on track, no thanks to her." I pointed at my mom, "she thinks the week will be long enough. But I need to talk with you and O about something, and of course report to Lexa later, and I think being held at gunpoint by a former head of the guard earns you a free afternoon, don't you?" He chuckled, "Sure princess." He turned back to my mother. "I think I agree with your daughter, and clearly you have some explaining to do with Kane here, so we will just get out of your way." H swung an arm over both my shoulder and O's, and we went our merry way, trying not to laugh until we were closer to our tents.

Octavia's POV***

I watched the Chancellor's face when Bellamy used Clarke's nickname in front of her. She looked pissed, and Kane was staring at the two like he was in a daze, and he was staring at Clarke like an alien. When Bell led us away, I realized that Abby was jealous of us, her daughter was nice and friendly with us, and cold and distant with her. Well to bad, shoulda thought about that before sending her husband to death, and her daughter to solitary. One person I had not noticed watching us interact with Kane and Abby was Jaha. I was too busy watching my bother and Clarke. Bell wasn't watching where we were going as soon as we rounded the corner and started for the 100's side of camp.

Bellamy was staring at Clarke. Who was still walking at his side, laughing about the sarcasm we employed on her mother, and Kane's face, because apparently she had never liked the man. His face was alight in a way I had never seen it before, and I had never seen him focus on someone this long that wasn't me. I had been his primary focus since he was six, and in all my seventeen years I had never seen him like this. Thinking back to the dropship, he had always been different with her. First it was his stubborn dislike because she was privileged, but when he realized she was different from Wells and the Council, and they started to lead together, he was different with her. He listened to her, and lately she had even gotten him off my back. Which was something else I admired about Clarke Griffin.

But right now I loved her for bringing out this softer side of my brother. I am probably the only other person to see it. Bellamy liked to make people think he was some tough, unrelenting force, and most of the time he was. But he could also be nerdy, and funny and soft, and that was my favorite side of my brother. It reminds me of the few happy times of my childhood. When Bell had been at school, or training, my mother would tell me stories of how he used to be with me when I was really young, some memories I could recall, but the ones from when I was a baby were my favorite.

The Bellamy in front of me now was one I hadn't seen in a long time and I was happy to know he still existed and that he could appear to someone besides me. Clarke, I think was oblivious to the pure softie my brother had become, still high from the public shamming of her mother.

She finally pulled away from my brother's side, and for a moment I saw the Clarke Griffin I had stories about from the ark. The kind hearted, happy girl from Alpha station, laughing and shining like the beacon of joy. She had always been a guiding light of sorts, but this was different, I knew she sometimes feared she had to prove to people she wasn't that person, but that person had done incredible things to, she was never naïve. She is Clarke Griffin for god's sake. Daughter of two of the smartest people of their generation, there was no way she could ever be mistaken as naïve.

That girl was however, replaced by the face of business I was very familiar with, and Bellamy's leader face came back as soon as hers did. I laughed in my head as it all clicked. He loved her, really loved her, and my brother had no idea.

"Raven and I were talking and she said that once she's in the system, she won't have long to shut them down that way before they realize she's in the system and block her, and even after she said we can't give their techs long to get around the walls she will put up, which means as soon as she gives the signal she's almost in we are going to have to have the army ready, and a plan made. And, we will need to send a small team as close to the waterfall as we can, so that as soon as Raven is in and has locked the doors, we can blow the damn and distract them from that angle as well." She paused, focused solely on Bell's face. "I know you will want to be in that group." He nodded, and she sighed, resigned to the fact that she couldn't tell him no. "So I think Lexa will want to have at least one person in that group, and my gut tells me it will be Indra, or that tall dude always at her back, Gustus, I think is his name. I get the feeling they aren't happy with her choice to work with us, so you will have to watch your back. I think I want Murphy to go with you to. I think we can trust him. What do you think? Who else, and no O, I need you with me and the Army, so you can't go." I had been about to open my mouth, but quickly shut it, because either way I would see action so it wasn't worth an argument there.

Bellamy thought for a moment and then said, "Ya I can bring Murphy, god knows its safer to have him out of camp, rather than here, and I think Monroe. She wants to be there when our people are rescued, and she's a good shot so I think her and murphy will have my back, and then we tell Lexa one or two people from her camp, limiting that group at five so that we have less of a chance of being spotted before Raven blows their cameras." Clarke smiled, "I was thinking the same thing. Okay, so let's go report to Lexa, and maybe start battle planning since we need to be ready as soon as we can because Raven could get in in a few days, but she thinks it will definitely be by the end of the week." My brother nodded, and I joined in.

"I will radio Lexa and let her know you two are coming, and then I can talk to Murphy and Monroe and see if they are good with that plan? And see where Raven is on the bomb itself?"

"Good plan O, radio in after you talk to everyone? We will probably still be with Lexa, so she will hear the update." I nodded and they headed for the gate again, and I radioed the commander, and then went off to do as I promised.

*** Longer chapter to make up for my absence. I changed it up, and gave you Octavia's view on the changing dynamic between Bellamy and Clarke. Enjoy!***


	7. Chapter 7

Clarke's POV***

I walked through the trees with Bellamy, in companionable silence. I was planning what I would say to Lexa, I don't know why Bell was being quite, but it was nice. Silence had become something I was used to after my time in solitary, and a little silence now and then helps me think.

When we reached the edge of the grounder encampment, we were escorted to Lexa's tent. I knew the grounder guards leading us were weary of Bell's gun, but they didn't take it like the first few times, probably because Lexa wanted us to be seen as equals. So if her people could be armed, so could we.

We entered Lexa's tent to see her on her throne, in a quiet conversation with the guy I think she called Gustus. They fell quiet when we were announced, and Gustus retreated to his spot behind the commander's chair. Once we had updated her she sat in thought for a moment. "I will send Indra and one of her warriors with your group Bellamy. I will inform her of this in the morning. How long do you guess it will take your Raven to succeed?" I paused, thinking. "I think the earliest she could be ready, or close to it, is the day after tomorrow, meaning the bomb group will probably need to leave at nightfall tomorrow. I believe that if they leave at night they will be less likely to be detected, and they will be safe since they will be in your territory so they needn't worry as much about attacks until they get within a few miles of the mountain."

"I agree. Very well. Tomorrow we shall form a battle plan, but for now I think that is all I need." Just then the radio attached at Bellamy's hip crackled, and Octavia's voice crackled over. "Bell?"

"Go O. What's the update?"

"Monroe and Murphy are down for your plan. Raven and Wick said the bomb would be done tomorrow afternoon, and Raven believes it will probably be the day after tomorrow or possibly the next, when she gets into the system."

"Got it O. Anything else?"

"Abby wants to speak with you and Clarke when you get back, but she knows you're with the Commander now, so your good for a while. She did reinstate Marcus as head of the guard, so that annoying woman, Byrne, or whatever stepped back down. He wants to talk to you about some things as well. I think that's all I have to report."

"Got it, thanks O. We will deal with them when we get back."

"Okay. Over and out." He clipped the radio back into place, and then looked up. "Anything else Commander?" She shook her head. "In the morning we will be moving our forces back to TonDC to prepare for battle, so I will send to guards and some horses to lead you to us. Please do bring Octavia. She intrigues me. And I believe Indra has taken an interest in her. Also, do you believe your people are ready for a fight? Or do you need me to send a few warriors to teach yours?" Clarke and I shared a look. "I think, that they believe they are prepared, because they have guns, but I don't think they actually are. However, many of our people may not trust your people yet. We will speak to the council, because we will need their permission to bring your warriors into camp, but if we make them see reason, I think it could be helpful." When Bellamy finished speaking I was already nodding along.

"Very well. We shall speak of this more tomorrow. For now, I believe that is all. I will send my riders to you a little after dawn, and you should arrive at TonDC not long after the rest of my army." I nodded, "Thank you." And then Bellamy and I turned and left the tent. I was already planning how to argue with my mother when Bellamy stopped my thought process right outside of the grounder camp.

"Geez Princess, I can hear you thinking from here. Does that brain of yours ever stop?" I had to laugh. "My dad used to tell me if I thought any harder my brain would explode."

"You never listened to the wise man did you?"

"Nope." I smirked, "And that's how I would beat him at chess. Or figure out my math homework. Or memorize the human anatomy. My dad used to joke that I could do his job and moms, and maybe two more and be just fine because by the time I was fifteen my brains processing speed was really fast, and I pick things up quick. Not to mention I tend to thrive under pressure, or so he used to tell me."

"He sounds like he was awesome. I wish I could have met him. Then again, I did turn his daughter into a rebel so he may not be too fond of me."

Bellamy's POV***

Clarke burst out laughing. "God no. If anyone made me a rebel it was him. Remember who spent almost a year in solitary for helping her rebel father? My mom used to tell us we were trouble makers and it was dads fault when I didn't listen to her. My mom and I were never as close as dad and I because between being the head medic and a council member, she wasn't around much. My dad raised me. He taught me to draw, how to play chess, and how to stand up for myself. All things my mother disapproves of, except maybe the chess playing."

"Sounds like your mother was always a pain in the ass. But your dad sounds awesome. Sometimes I used to wonder what would have happened if my dad, or O's had stuck around. We don't even know if we have the same dad or not, my mom never said. My father figures were the Greek heroes my mom used to read to us about." I saw the sympathetic look in her eye, and quickly moved on, "but I wouldn't be me and I wouldn't have O if they had so I'm okay." She smiled at me. I focused in on her smile, and wondered what else about the younger Clarke was still the same. Was she always this strong-willed? Was she always such a big presence in a space even if she was tiny? I was incredibly curious, but before I could open my mouth to ask she spoke.

"Hey, do you think that my mom will agree to let the grounders in without a fight? Because I really don't want to fight her on this, especially if she will have Kane at her back because he is a hard ass." I choked on a laugh, "Princess I think you could take your mom and Kane, your smart, smarter than them, you also have a knack for getting what you want so I think you will be fine, but it may come to a fight." She sighed, "I know, I just gets o tired of arguing when we should be saving the 48, or figuring out how to survive, not sitting in a tin can waiting for things to just magically fix themselves." I nodded, knowing how she felt.

We walked in silence before the radio crackled to life again at my hip. "Bellamy, Clarke?"

"Raven, we are here. What's up."

"I have some news…"

We shared a look, this couldn't be good. Clarke sighed, "Go Raven."

"It's not bad news. I found a backdoor." We heard a cough in the background, "Okay so Wick may have helped a tiny bit, but the point is, I have an entry point. Now that I have that, this shouldn't take more than two days tops to get around their walls without being seen, and blind them, and lock the two doors needed. I may even be able to kill the acid fog early, so that the group with the bomb has one less thing to worry about."

"Raven! That is awesome! Thank you!" Clarke was grinning, but there was a conspiratorial look in her eyes. "Hey Ray?"

"Ya?"

"Do you think you can do something for me?"

"Depends. Spill your beans princess."

"Tell Finn he's an ass, you're a damn genius! He's an idiot for what he did. I'm telling him the same as soon as I deal with the council." There was merry laughter through the radio, and I was grinning to. "Will do Clarke, and hey, thanks." She grinned, "any time Raven, remember I will always pick you first. Now, are the council gathered for their nightly briefing?"

"Yup." She sighed, "goody, okay Bellamy and I are five minutes out. Over and out."

"Gotcha, over and out." She handed the radio back to me, and I clipped it back to my hip. "So princess, ready to be a badass?" She grinned at the familiar words, "Hell yes. We are getting those kids out. Before crap goes bad." I grinned, but we both slipped back into neutral facial expressions because we had reached the gate at Camp Jaha.

*** Clarke POV**

We walked into camp, and headed straight for the council room, ignoring the guard and other arkers and their stares. When we made it to the council chamber Bellamy told the guard we were reporting on the meeting with Lexa, urgent news. He then held the door for me with that _after you princess_ smirk. I rolled my eyes and walked straight in. I held up a hand at my mother's coming retort. "The Commander signed off on our plan, she wants to ensure that we are prepared to help them if a fight arises, which it most certainly will. She has decided to send some warriors to train the guard. No argument. We need the training because the mountain has guns as well, so we need to know a few grounder tricks to keep them on their toes." I fell silent waiting for the inevitable blow up. It came, predictably, from the head of the guard himself. "So let me get this straight, you plan to let warriors into our camp, to help us, the ones with the tech, train."

"Clarke and the commander have a point." Bellamy had been my silent support, but now he spoke up before I could answer. "I know how much hand to hand combat training the guard has, it's not enough. I have fought the grounders Kane; I know that the guard isn't prepared for them or the mountain. We need this so that rescuing those kids doesn't end with dead guardsmen and Abby drowning in medical."

"You didn't finish guard training, you were demoted." I sighed, "Not the point Kane. I know that Bell was considered one of the best up and coming guard cadets so just save the bullshit for someone who won't call you on it. He knows what he is talking about." Kane was staring at me in dumbstruck silence. Bellamy was smirking. "Now the grounders will be here tomorrow. We have two days to get as battle ready as we can. Bellamy, Murphy and Monroe will be leaving tomorrow with a few grounders at dusk to get ready to blow the damn. The fighting contingent will leave as soon Raven gives the signal. Any questions?"

"Why should we send guards on this mission when we have a bigger number in camp to protect?" It was that old hag, Anna Akin, from Argo station. I rolled my eyes, "because the 48 kids in that mountain will save your lives. I see the chancellor left some things out. The 48, me and Bellamy, we are the ones that can keep all of you alive. We know how to live on the ground. We are also the ones that brokered peace with Lexa, and she has made it clear she has no respect for the council because you are sitting here, hiding in a tin can and clinging to the ways of the sky, when you're on earth, and your children, your people are locked in a mountain trying to kill them." Bellamy chimed in. "The grounder commander wont respect those who don't aid the mission. She already distrusts you, and favors Clarke over the chancellor, simply put councilman, if you don't send the guard you not only seem weak, you will lose whatever respect she has for you, and your chances of survival weaken."

Kane huffed, "We have the weapons." Bellamy coughed a sardonic laugh.

"Yes, they have huge numbers. Huge armies sitting at their disposal. You have what 200 guards total? Guard's that think their guns and shock batons will keep them safe? You wouldn't stand a chance Kane. So be smart here."

"We don't have time for this, Clarke, Bellamy needs the chance to discuss this."

"Not an option. I told you, its non-negotiable, but go ahead, debate whether you are going to be smart, or stupid. Piss off a powerful commander, or work with her and save yourselves, whatever you chose, it won't affect the 100. We have her respect and we will have peace after this battle. Now if you will excuse us, we have people to save." I turned and walked out, Bell right behind me, as always, we moved in perfect sync.


	8. Chapter 8

Abby's POV***

I watched my daughter leave, that boy right behind her. They had been perfectly in sync. No hesitation, and he had her back. I had never seen my daughter that comfortable with a boy that wasn't Wells. I couldn't understand the connection between the 22-year-old failure of a cadet, and my daughter but I didn't like it. He made her wild, uncontrollable. We couldn't have that. Not now, not after finally managing to get to the ground.

I looked to Marcus, thinking of the shock on his face when my daughter had not only stood up to him earlier, but belittled him in front of the entire council a few moments ago. And his face when Bellamy began speaking like he knew what he was talking about. "They are going to be a problem Abby. They are already stirring up trouble. We aren't stable enough to sustain ourselves and our people are already moving toward open revolt. They are causing rebellion Abby. I know she's your daughter, but we have to stop this."

I sighed, "You think I don't know that Kane? Those kids have been trouble for us since we sent them down. The people are angry with us, and they are following Clarke and Bellamy because of what WE did Kane. We have to find a way to fix this doesn't make the situation worse." He huffed and walked away, following the same path Clarke and the other council members had already taken out of the room. I followed after him, deciding to try and catch my daughter alone, or get her alone so that we could talk.

It took me fifteen minutes to find Clarke, and when I did it was to find her with the remaining one hundred except Raven, who I suspect is still trying to succeed at an impossible task. I froze when I realized what I was seeing. Before I got close enough for them to see, I stopped, shocked. My Clarke had never been a touchy feely person She was aloof at the best of times except with her father. Even with Wells she hadn't shown a lot of affection.

But my daughter was now sitting between the two Blake siblings and laughing at something the elder had just whispered in her ear. She was leaning into him. Arms brushing, smiling at whatever he told her. She looked happy, and carefree. It hurt. These strangers could get my baby to laugh, to smile, and what does her mother get? Glares, and mistrust and no affection from the girl she had raised.

A sudden burst of laughter brought me out of my thoughts, and my eyes lifted back to the group by the fire. I watched my daughter stand, hoping she would be leaving the group, but instead she turned to the group and raised the cup in her hand. "I promise that as soon as we can, the rest of our friends, our family, they will be back with us, around this fire. Monty and Jasper will make us some moonshine, and we will celebrate our family!" There was cheers from the remaining kids and then Bellamy stood, and situated himself right next to my daughter. "We will bring our people home. We will prove to these people that they need us to survive. We will survive. We didn't survive two months on earth alone by fluke, we will win. We will survive."

Clarke chipped in, "No Bell, we will thrive." The cheers had continued through the little display and I was only side tracked from that because of the way my daughter was looking at the boy, no man, next to her.

She was watching him intently, and the she leaned up and whispered something, and I was brought back to a few days ago when I watched from afar as my daughter flung herself at this rebel man. The look of sheer relief on the boy's face hadn't been missed. I wonder what he did to get my daughters whole attention? What did this boy have that pulled her away from the good little girl Abby had raised?

Yes, Bellamy Blake was handsome. Abby wasn't blind, but she knew her daughter, that wasn't the root of this relationship. Clarke was far to realistic and rational for that. And that nickname. _Bell_. Clarke had never had a nickname for anyone. And she had never before been okay with a nickname for herself. _Princess._ This boy got to call her daughter princess, see her smile, and Abby got the cold shoulder. This boy, this rebel, this man that shouldn't have been allowed to live after what he did on the ark; her daughter was looking at him like he hung the moon and the stars. Like he had the answers to the worlds or something. She wondered what this was to Clarke, he had to be more than a partner, Clarke had never looked at Wells that way, and he had been her partner in everything since they were children. I was transfixed, frozen, watching the person my daughter had become because my choice to send these kids to the ground.

I watched frozen for a minutes, as Octavia and the girl with the braids she had patched up a few days take their leave, along with most of the remaining 100, until Clarke and Bellamy were the only ones left. Abby took a step closer, about to call out to her daughter, when Clarke began to speak.

"Bell?" He turned to face her, "promise you won't do something stupid? When you go to plant the bomb?" A soft smile overtook the rebellious man's face, "Of course princess." He looked at her as if she helped to make the sun rise and set every day.

"I'm serious Bell. I can't do this without you. I can't lose you to." Bellamy looked at her in wonder for a moment, "I promise Clarke, no funny business, but I can't promise I won't do what it takes to get our people back." She smiled, setting her head on his shoulder, "I know that Bell, but just keep that in mind okay? I need you. We need you. Octavia needs you. I can't do this without you. I can't stand up to her, face Lexa, keep our people safe and together without you okay?"

It was quiet for a moment then, "Okay Princess. Now your exhausted, why don't get some rest?" Clarke huffed, "Can I stay with you? I don't have anywhere else yet besides with my mom, and I don't want to deal with that tonight." He smiled, "Sure Princess, let's go to bed."

I growled, that was it. Tomorrow I am doing something. I want my daughter back.

Bellamy POV***

I woke up to the sun shining in through the tent liner and the sound of the birds chirping as usual. It was still fairly early, but I was distracted from the normal by the sounds of someone else breathing next to me. I then processed that the warmth over my heart was a hand. I rolled over slowly to come face to face with a sleeping Clarke. Her hair was all over the place, streaming like its own little sunshine along the pillow, and she was wearing an expression of pure contentment, something I hadn't seen on her before. Waking up to Clarke curled around me was something I could get used to. Her steady breathing next to me was calming, and I don't think I have slept this well since O was caught on the Ark.

I laid in silence, listening to Clarke's breathing and the sounds of quite nature, and wishing that I could have this, this bliss every day. Clarke brought me a sense of peace I haven't felt since I was six years old and my mother put a brand new human in my arms to care for. I realized the irony, the Ark's princess and the cadet turned janitor, I know a lot of the Arkers didn't understand us, but Clarke isn't a princess, I don't think she ever was, and not for the first time I regret my asshole tendencies. I'm glad we got to where we are now.

"I can hear you thinking."

I was brought out of my head by a sleepy Clarke. "What could you possibly be thinking about this intently this early?" God her voice, she sounded sleepy and content, her husky voice even huskier. "Sorry Princess, did I wake you?"

Clarke came closer, laying her head on my shoulder, "No, but I still want to know what you were thinking about so intently." She wound her arm over my torso and put almost no space between us. "I was thinking about O, and me being an asshole when we first got here. I haven't felt safe, relaxed, since O was put in my arms at six years old. I was raised to hate privilege, I hated you. I hated Wells. When we got here, I was an ass." Clarke sighed and sat up to meet my eyes.

"You were raised to care about your sister. Your sister was your world Bell. She still is. I knew that a lot of people didn't like me. But I had six months in solitary to come to terms with a lot of things Bell. I don't blame you for being an ass, you were protecting yourself and your sister. You were played. I wasn't the best person when we came here either. Everything you do, you do to protect your sister. But now you do it to protect the 100, protect all of us. I trust you Bellamy, 100%. I trust you to keep us alive. I trust you to do what is best for our people, and that you will help me to do what they need." I smiled. Clarke always knew what to say.

"Princess, tell me what you were like on the Ark. I want to know. Were you always so pragmatic? Were you always such a force of nature?" She looked surprise. "No. I was a rule follower for the most part. Especially in terms of my mother. I did what she wanted so that my dad didn't have to constantly keep the peace. Wells and I were alone. None of the other kids wanted to be around us. We were the definition of privileged to them. It was me and Wells against the world. He was his father in miniature. Until I heard my dad tell my mom about the oxygen problem, I was a good girl I think. I did rebel a little with my father, but nothing major until my dad died. I became a force of nature because I watched my parent get sucked into space, just like you. Before that, I spent my time playing Chess with Wells, drawing, and once I was of age, in medical with my mom."

She was wrong, I think she was always a force of nature. "You Bell, have been a force of nature since you were little. That amazes me." Me? "All I did was lie every day for sixteen years. I had no friends because I couldn't afford people getting curious about why I was so protective of my home life, and I watched my mom do things to keep us safe that no person should ever have to do, let alone witness." She just gave me a soft smile.

"And through it all you protected your sister. You shouldered a burden at six that you never should have had to, and besides, I saw your file Bell. You were the best cadet they had. You're a force to be reckoned with and I am going to need you to use that force to get our friends to safety and help me figure out how to deal with my mom and Lexa and everything we will inevitably need to figure out after we get the 48 home."

"You got it Princess." She smiled that soft smile at me again and I felt the warmth of it spread from her to me. "We should probably get moving soon. The grounders will be here soon, we need to ride to TonDC and figure out how to maintain peace here while we are there."

"Okay Princess, and don't forget we also need to make sure that Raven is good as well." She nodded and we decided in sync, without words, that it was time to get up. I pulled my worn blue t-shirt over my shoulders and then began strapping my hand-held to my thigh, and slipped a few other weapons on my person. I looked up in time to catch Clarke Griffin slip her gun into its spot at her back, and slip a knife into her sleeve. As I watched the Princess arm herself I found myself unable to look away. She looked beautiful, preparing for war.

She was important to me, but I was carefully avoiding the thought of why, I couldn't be that distracted right now. The sight of her getting ready to face her daemons and rescue our people, after having spent the night curled around me was making that plan a little difficult though. She brought me out of my head with a soft, "Bell?" and as my eyes found hers I silently let her know that I was ready, and then grabbed my jacket and slung it on as I followed her out of my room.

"You should go talk to some of the guard, Miller Sr., or something so that we can ensure that the grounders don't fight their war against us, and maybe we need O to paly peace keeper?" I sighed, but she was right. Octavia was the person who toed the line between Grounder and Arker the most right now so that made her the best for keeping the peace. "And you?" My silent agreement that my sister was the best course of action in keeping some semblance of peace.

"She is coming with me." I groaned, not even five minutes and Abby was already ready to give the princess more problems. Clarke snorted, "No I am going to go chat with Raven, and then Bellamy and I are riding out to TonDC after the warriors get here." Abby glared at me before dropping yet another problem into our laps.

"The council voted last night and they voted to keep the warriors out. We don't need their training. And we also decided that we can only spare 20 guards and all non-essential to your little suicide mission." I growled, "How can you just sit by and condemn innocent children to death." The elder Griffin turned to me, "The thing about being a leader is that you focus on the best for the many, not the few. The personnel in this camp outweigh the priority of 48 children that…" she was cut off by her daughter's fist. I watched in a bit of shock and a lot of amusement as Clarke Griffin decked her mother. That drew a crowd, and Clarke got louder, I realized what she was doing. She was going to use the unrest we had been generating, and use it to gain the upper hand. She leaned over her mother speaking in a clear, strong voice that carried over the growing number of people surrounding them.

"The thing you don't seem to understand Chancellor, is that the "few" in that mountain can save all of your life, and are also a part of the still fragile treaty keeping an army of thousands away from your weak defenses. Oh and those kids that you are so easily willing to condemn are some of the smartest and brightest minds of our generation. You are condemning the "Many" to death by ignoring the plight of the "few" and being petty." She took a deep breath. "The Abby Griffin I knew wouldn't have done that. Dad would be so ashamed of you, and everything you are doing. He DIED so that what? We could all get to the ground and be petty and childish and stuck in the past? I don't think so. I won't let that be the product of his sacrifice." She turned form her mother, who was standing but staring at the person in front of her with utter shock on her face. Clarke faced the crowd and I stepped up to her left side, her silent support.

***Clarke's POV**

I took a steadying breath and turned away from my mom to the people surrounding us. I saw Jaha, Kane and a few of the guard trying to get to Abby, but I ignored them. "People of the Ark it is time you know the truth about the council. They are doing everything they can to stop a rescue mission to rescue the remaining 48 people of the 100 because they are scared and afraid that a few kids will push them out. We know how to survive, how to thrive on this earth. We learned it the hard way, through bloodshed, sweat, tears and a whole lot of destruction and loss. We don't want that to be the case for you. We watched as our friends were ripped from us by grounder spears, and then kidnapped and forced into a mountain where they are being fooled into complacency and then will be drained for their blood. I am asking right now, how many of you would be willing to step up, to save them. Because that is an option, but in order to succeed we need to work together, not fight like common place animals. The chancellor and her council voted against sending a bigger force, against training that could save lives last night. Yes, that training would come from grounders, but considering that they have survived for 100 years here I can assume that we need their help. We control the peace treaty; the Commander does not trust the council that is so willing to leave its own to death. What say all of you? Would you rather sit back and let 48 brilliant people who could save your lives die? Or do you want to save them? Don't worry about the council, think for yourselves for a moment." To my utter surprise before I even finished talking Miller Sr. was stepping forward.

"My son is in that mountain. I am a loyal man, but I will not stand by while my boy faces death at the hands of psychopaths. I will fight for his freedom as I know he would fight for mine." A few other parents nodded and stepped forward, and then the damn broke. We had people stepping forward left and right. I was floored. I wasn't sure it would work but it had.

"Okay then." Bellamy spoke up. "The grounders will be here shortly. Train with them. Learn what you can. I know that won't be easy, but is necessary. Octavia?" O stepped forward, and I could see her pride seeping out of her. "Maintain the peace. Clarke and I have to go. If they give you any problems, radio in."

"Wait just one moment." The crowd faced away from me and Bell, and faced Kane, who chose now to open his mouth. "What makes you think this matters. The council voted. The grounders are not welcome." Before Clarke and I could react, Captain Miller faced him down. "You should be ashamed. The Marcus I grew up would not stand by and let children die. That Marcus would also know when he was beat." The crowd cheered, and Marcus stepped to my mother's side, and shut up. Just then, there was a flurry of activity at the gate. Bellamy and I pushed our way there and found Indra and about thirty grounder fighters standing or riding behind her.

"Open the gate." The guard in the tower was looking at Kane, but Bellamy spoke louder. "Open it, or I will come open it for you." Kane gave a slight nod, and the gates swung open. Bellamy and I turned in sync and looked at my mother and Kane. "Cause problems for us and we will let the grounders do as they please with Camp Jaha." I grinned up at Bellamy before I chimed in. "Take a look around. The people have spoken, and once again they are choosing to come together in a time of need and do what is best. Even though their council, their leaders had done nothing but lie. Dad was right mom. People will always do the right thing, but they have to be presented with the opportunity. Now they have spoken, and they want to save those kids, so unless you want more ill will towards you and your council, I suggest that you accept this." Cheers went up around us, and even as the grounders made their way into camp, I knew we would be okay.

Indra dismounted and the people quieted. "Clarke com Skaikru, the Commander awaits you and your partner. The warriors will stay and train, while you meet the Commander. I will be her eyes in this camp, and when the time comes I will be ready for our plan to begin." I nodded.

"Alright then. Train hard. Learn. Listen. What they have to offer could save your lives. We will get the 48 back. We will bring them home, and then we will thrive." Bellamy fell silent and I stood at his side, this time I was his silent support. "Octavia radio if you need anything. We will be back soon." Octavia nodded, and then Bellamy and I were lead to two horses. "Clarke!" I tensed at that voice. Finn had pushed his way to the front of the crowd. "Where are you going?"

"To the Commander Finn." He looked at me, "Let me come, I can help." Bellamy snorted. "I don't think so. You are benched Finn. We haven't forgotten what almost occurred. I doubt they have either. So no go. Stay here." Finn soured and I sighed. "Bell is right Finn. We need this to go smoothly, you would not help that. Just stay here and train, and do me a favor." He lit up, but I shut him down. Hard. "Leave Raven alone. Leave me alone. We don't need you Finn. I don't know how you could do what you did to Raven, but I am telling you what I told her. I would choose her first, every time. So move on." His face was a thundercloud as he stepped closer to me.

"What the hell Clarke! After everything we have been through your just going to throw it away! For what? Him. He's a lowlife Clarke. A power hungry jackass." I growled and then I snapped. "Let me make one thing very clear to you." He paled at the deadly tone of my voice. "What we had was nothing Finn. It died before it even started. He is a better man you could ever hope to be, and you are very lucky that I didn't punch you to. He saved your life, twice. Or are you forgetting that. He is my equal. Bellamy is a good man, and someone I trust and care about very much, so the next time you decide to open your mouth, I suggest you think long hard. I only have so much restraint, and you aren't popular right now, with me, or with any one." I turned away from him. "Ready to go Bell?" I met the shocked eyes of my co-leader, my partner, my friend and watched the slightly hilarious play of emotions on his face that only I could read and he nodded. We swung up onto our horses, and the two grounders sent to guide us started off.


	9. Chapter 9

***Bellamy's POV**

I was still in shock from what Clarke had said to spacewalker. Hell, I was stunned at what we had just pulled off. We basically had control of Camp Jaha now. She had done it, she had stood up to her mother, to Finn and won. Her fire was burning so bright today that all I could do was watch in amazement. The chill in her tone when she had spoken had sent chills up my spine though. I had never heard Clarke get that chilly before, and I was shocked that that defense was seemingly for me.

She was riding in silence next to me, but for the first time I think she was just riding, not planning her every move. I could see a new confidence in her that I had never seen before. I suddenly felt the urge to share my sheer pride and amazement of her, with her. "What you just did; god Princess, that was impressive." The smirk on her face when she met my eyes would rival my old one. "Impressive huh? Guess I should take the compliment, especially from the Rebel King." I laughed, "You were the inspiration behind the whole speech thing, by the way, of course I was aiming for a little more than those early Blake specialties." She pitched her voice low, "Whatever the Hell we want, and all that jazz." I laughed, I hadn't seen her this carefree since before Finn messed up Unity Day. "To true Princess. You were all class. I was a rebel. Always have been, always will be." She laughed. "We are so close Bell. I can feel it. We are going to get them out. We are going to bring them home."

Home. There was a concept that I had never really thought of since coming to the ground. Camp Jaha still felt hostile, but I knew in time we could make it work, or we could leave. She has the support of the Commander, who could grant us land, and the freedom to live wherever we wanted. Clarke Griffin was systematically building a foundation for homes for me, for O, for the 100. For people who had never felt at home anywhere, especially since coming back to the ground.

Gone was the soft girl who landed; the girl who just wanted to care for the injured and ensure survival in the way she believed right. In her place, was a woman. Forged of fire and stronger than anyone else I know except maybe my sister. She had no fear, endless amounts of courage, and plenty of brilliance. The poets and orators of old would have declared her a hero, documented her life in wonder, making her into something larger than life. A modern day Prometheus, giving hope to man when there was no hope left. Giving fire to a people who had lived in the dark a little too long.

I was among the people she had brought to the light with her flame. She turned me around, screwed my head on straight and together we kept the 100 alive. She made it so that we could thrive. She didn't want the glory she just did what she felt best for her people.

"You have given them a chance at that home Clarke, you gave them hope. The kids will see that."

Before she could respond the radio at her hip crackled. "Raven to Clarke and Bellamy."

"We are here Raven. What's up? How are things?"

"You guys need to hear this. I told you I cracked the signal shield around Mount Weather. This is playing on a loop."

"This is Jasper Jordan. We need help. Please Hurry."

"I can't contact back, but my guess is they hacked the system from their side and connected a wire and recorded that message. I am close so you guys need to hurry the hell up with that meeting and get a move on. I will be ready to move by nightfall I think. We can wait for the crew to get in place but we need to get them out. They must have realized what Clarke did, which means things in that mountain have changed." I met Clarke's eyes. She nodded once, "Got it Raven. We will back shortly."

We had to get to them before the mountain men took them and hurt them. It was written all over her face, and all over mine. We rode the rest of the way in silence. The easy teasing banter left behind when we heard Jasper's voice, and the message he relayed.

We arrived at TonDC and were shocked to see that is was the remnants of an old city now inhabited by a massive army. We waited outside what had to be Lexa's center of Command, and Clarke began to think out what she was going to say. I could see the wheels turning in her head. We were only alone for a few minutes before one of our guides came back and stiffly told us that the Heda would see us now. We followed him into the building and up two flights of stairs and then we were ushered into a room and there was Lexa, again in the stupid throne thing, obviously waiting. "Clarke and Bellamy com Skaikru, welcome to TonDC. The city of the Trikru."

Clarke jumped right to the chase, explaining that one of our own had managed to get a message out. The mountain was moving on them. "Then so must we. How close is your Raven to completing her task?"

"She said she should be ready tonight. Which means we send the first group out tonight. And follow them in the morning." Lexa was nodding along with Clarke. "Yes and then as soon as the first group takes out their target and the doors lock, we move on the mountain. The strategy is simple."

I spoke up, "Power in numbers. Overwhelm them with the sheer size of us, and then if they don't stop, we do what we must to get our people out." She eyed me wearily. "Yes. If the mountain men decide to fight, they will lose. Will your people be ready? They have not had much time."

"They know what the risk is. Between your army and our weapons, I think we may have the upper hand. Once Raven assures that everyone is locked up for the night we move." The Commander nodded.

"We need to get back. Get the first group ready. We will meet you here, at dawn." She pointed at a Rivne in-between here, Camp Jaha, and the Mountain. "We will be ready to bring our people home." I noticed Lexa wasn't meeting Clarke's eyes.

"All of them. Or none of them. That was our deal Commander. I promise you we won't slow you down. We have the guns; you have the hand to hand combat. One can't win without the other against these people." Lexa stiffened and a growl emanated from her bodyguard but she held up a hand. "Yes Bellamy com Skaikru, I am aware of the deal we struck. I believe that your people will be of some aid to us."

Clarke jumped back in, "and after this mess is over we can benefit each other. In peace." The cold tone from earlier was back, she had felt the tension as I had. Lexa finally met both our eyes. "Yes. That is our deal. I will honor it. The coalition will aid you in this for our people and yours, and then we will bring peace to our people instead of violence." We both nodded, and turned to go, we had people to get back to and a mission to launch. "Will Octavia being fighting?" I stiffened. "because it seems that she is your second, she should be with you when you complete this mission." Clarke spoke, "Yes she will be with me and the army." She placed a hand on my arm to calm me. "Why?"

"She amuses my second, Indra. Her fire is unchecked, but she is strong. Her loyalty to Lincoln is admirable, even if he was a traitor. Loyalty is something to admire." As she said it her eyes swept over me again and I was confused by the look she gave me but before I could think on it the heda mask was back and she bid us goodbye until dawn.

**Clarke's POV***

We rode back in silence, our minds on our mission. It was about a half an hour from TonDC to Camp Jaha, and it was almost four hours between us and the mountain. I was silently praying that the camp was not going to be in disarray when we arrived. We needed this to go smoothly. Keep the people training as long as we could and then march out to meet the grounder army at dawn. It was going to move quickly as soon as we set everything in motion. The thing, well person, I was most afraid for was not myself. It was the man next to me.

I had come to depend on this rebel of the sky, who really had a heart that loved to love. I knew he would do anything for our people, and that is what scared me. I couldn't lose him. Bellamy Blake is the key to my success. Without him I am just a Princess from the ark, with him, I am a warrior and a leader who fights for things full on, no stops because I know that he will always have my back, as I will always have his. I turned in my saddle slightly to look at the man that I had grown to care for almost without my knowledge.

He had always been beautiful. A sharp jaw, tousled curls, lean and muscular from countless hours training on the ark. Even when he was acting like a jackass, he was beautiful. But the man under the mask blew me away in a way I wasn't wholly prepared for. He was gentle, kind and again, a heart that knew no end when it came to people he cared for. He was a study of contrasts, because while he was all those things he was also a fierce leader, a strong and able warrior, and a fantastic shot. Bellamy Blake was a man who would give everything, heart, soul and life for those he loved, and I feared what that could lead to tonight.

He must have felt my eyes on him, because he turned to meet my eyes and gave me that soft half smile I only ever saw him give to Octavia. "What's up Princess?" I sighed. Time to face the music, somewhat.

I met his deep brown eyes and took a deep breath. "I know last night you promised not to do anything reckless, or I guess kind of promised that but I just…I need to hear it again. I need you Bellamy. You are my anchor in this. I can't do this, be this person without you." He looked surprised, like that wasn't what he was expecting me to say. "Clarke… I…" He took a breath. "I can't promise that if I need to do something reckless, I won't do it. I will do everything in my power to get those kids back. I will also do anything to keep them, and you safe. But I promise to do everything I can to make it back.'' I knew, logically that was the best he could promise, but emotionally it hurt to know he would willing take a bullet for any of us because I cared so deeply for him that the thought of him getting shot was severely unpleasant for me.

"I know that is the best you can promise Bell. I just wanted you to remember that there are people here who need you. Me, Octavia, the 100. We need you. So take care of yourself tonight." He nodded, and then the smirk was back. "Come on Princess, lighten up. I am, after all the best shot on the damn ground." I laughed, there he was the cocky, brave boy that had followed his sister to earth and into my life.

Before I knew it we were back at Camp Jaha, and to my immense surprise things seemed to be okay. I could see people moving around the yard, training, and it also seemed that some, the ones not interested in fighting, were moving around them to continue on with the arks preparation for the cold coming our way. I met Bellamy's silent pride with a swell of my own. As we got closer he did tense up, because he saw what I saw. Octavia Blake. Standing in the middle of four rather large grounders and looking determined. She was going to take them all on. I watched Bellamy tense, the coil of his shoulders drawing together, and I knew he wouldn't interfere. Not yet, not with the knowledge that O would lose it on him if he tried. "She will be okay."

I turned my eyes back to the yard to watch the infamous Blake smirk appear on her face, and Octavia giving the sword in her hand a twirl before nodding that she was ready. The first seconds were tense, everyone sizing the other up, and then they moved. And Octavia Blake proved just who she is. She hasn't had formal training, but just looking at her you could tell she was in her element. She moved onto the offensive quickly, not giving the grounder fighters much time to think. She knocked one down with a few well-placed kicks to his legs and sides before tapping the side of his head with her sword. He left the circle and she swung down and around an oncoming attack from the other three. She again landed a few kicks but it took her longer, to get one sepereated from the pack and get him out. She was panting, and I watched in awe as she traded the sword from left to right and watched as she met both swords of the other fighters and used their forward momentum to force them backwards and then she was off again. Dancing around and under them. The biggest suddenly founded himself on his knees because O had hit him low enough on the spine that he fell with a grunt and the sword in her hand was at his neck. She didn't wait, simply swung around to meet the charging final grounder. He was a tough opponent, but I learned long ago to never underestimate either Blake sibling. Sure enough after a few more minutes, the last grounder fell flat on his back and Octavia was left standing, panting hard but smirking.

The yard broke into cheers, at least the arkers did when they watched one of their own take down four grounders, and I saw Bell smile full of pride. "She's come a long way from chasing butterflies." He snorted, "it would be better for my sanity if she still preferred that above the sword but she's happy. I can see it."

"She has found her home Bellamy; she's hit her stride. Octavia is simply growing up and becoming something as strong and brave as her brother and mother before her." I knew that my statement had hit home, he looked almost shy before nodding at me with that gentle smile and the silent _thanks Princess, means a lot_ written all over his face.

He was all business again by the time we hit the yard though. We dismounted and I immediately went in search of Raven, leaving Bellamy to prep and boss his small army around. As I left I couldn't help but glance back, and to my surprise his eyes were already on me. He smirked and waved a hand before heading for his sister and I smiled in response before heading to our favorite mechanic.

I reached her workshop and to my surprise found a tall blonde guy hovering behind my best friend. "Clarke, Wick. Wick, Clarke. Great everyone knows one and other." I chuckled, "Where are we at Raven?" She turned to me, that infamous smirk of hers on her face. "Oh Griffin I am almost in. Two hours' tops. Where's shooter?"

"Commanding his troops, corralling the first wave. I will let him know to leave pretty soon so that we don't have to wait long. The bombs?" Wick chimed in, "Prepped and being made safe for travel right now. There are three, they are small but they will pack a hell of a punch, so who ever transports them needs to be careful. They are set up on a pin release, similar to old world grenades."

"Perfect, Raven you are a genius. Let me know as soon as your in." I turned ready to leave. "Did you really tell him to bug off?" The question quiet but there none thee less. "Yes. Yes, I did." In a surprising moment of softness Raven stood and hugged me, whispering her thanks. "Of course Ray. I would choose you every time. I mean look at what you are doing and have done for us." She grinned, "Damn straight. Alright, back to the hack." I laughed and walked away leaving the two of them to the task of breaking the final amount of code.

I kept my eyes out for my mom, but she was probably hiding after her very public downfall this morning. I walked through camp, bustling with life and preparations, the ark glowing in afternoon sunshine and I couldn't help but hope that we could gain peace so that we could finally start to thrive as we were meant to.

**Octavia's POV***

I watched my brother striding around shouting things out to the people from our side that were going to fight. I watched with pride as he was acknowledged among the same as Indra was among her ranks. Bellamy had been a natural in cadet training. If he would have completed his training he would have skyrocketed through the ranks. I had heard the whispers while in the skybox. He was dedicated, driven and strong-willed. If we hadn't gotten caught that night he could have been the next Kane, but regardless he's something better here.

"Hey O." I was pulled from that thought by the second half of my brother's leadership team. "Hey Clarke. Did you guys catch my fight?" She chuckled, "Oh yes, we did. That was incredibly badass Octavia. Lincoln will be proud of how far you have come." I smiled, hoping her words were true, and praying that we get to him and the others in time. "Thanks Clarke." She smiled at me and then her eyes found my brother. I watched her face, seeing it soften slightly as her eyes tracked him, and there was something in her eyes I wondered what it meant. They had been growing close the last few weeks. I had seen them leave Bellamy's tent this morning but I knew nothing had happened there, not yet anyway. I looked back at Clarke, "He's in his element." She smirked yup, and it is about to get even better. Look."

Sure enough, there was Marcus Kane marching across the grass towards where Bellamy was standing with Miller Sr. and a few other older guard members. They were listening to him speak, oblivious to the storm coming their way.

"What is going on here?" The men around the table look up, and the yard quiets, sensing another show down. Clarke was about to march on over there, but I grabbed her arm. "Give him a minuet. Lets see what bell does, if he needs us then we go, but right now I think he's got this." She nodded.

"We are planning the push tomorrow sir." One of the other guards filled Kane in while Bellamy just smirked. "Yes, we are kind of busy. Is there something that I can do for you?"

"Why was I not informed that the planning had begun. I am the head of the guard and as such should have been." Bellamy snorted. "because I didn't have time to deal with you trying to go around the plan of attack we set in place with the grounders already, for a plan that would probably get a lot of these people hurt." Kane was so red in the face he looked like he was about to explode, and I was enjoying this. He was the bastard that floated our mother so I had a feeling Bell was enjoying this as well.

"Regardless Mr. Blake, there is protocol to follow." The smirk grew and I heard Clarke huff a laugh next to me and whisper, "Wrong choice asshole."

"Well screw protocol. I am keeping our alliance intact and our fighters safe because I have seen the way you deploy troops. Your reckless General. We are leaving the reckless bit to the grounders tomorrow. We are the level head to their recklessness. Its already signed off by the commander, and Clarke is aware of the plan so you really just aren't needed."

"Mr. Blake, you and Ms. Griffin have no control over MY soldiers and the plan of attack. It's bad enough we are tangled up in this mess, now you are trying to kill of our guardsmen are you?" I nodded at Clarke, and whispered "Go for the jugular, he's down, let's kick him while he's there so he knows who he is messing with." She smirked and nodded before pushing forward and speaking out.

"Councilmen. Did I hear you say that you wanted no part in this fight?" Kane whirled and watched as the crowds parted for Clarke Griffin like freaking Jesus and the sea. "Ms. Griffin, this does not regard you." Wrong answer. Never belittle Clarke Griffin. Her smile was absolutely feral.

"Oh but it is. You see Bellamy and I are the only ones here with some semblance of leadership power to help reunite these families, which is why they are here and what they are fighting for. And even better, we get peace out of this. No thanks to you and your antiquated council." She was right in front of him now, inches away, invading the proud man's bubble much the way she used to do Bell before they became a team. "So if you will kindly either shut the hell up and let this happen that would be fantastic. Otherwise it's on you when the grounders in this camp figure out where you were going with that little rant of yours and take it out on you and this camp." Kane visibly flinched and stepped away from the small girl, only to back himself closer to Bellamy. "What will it be councilmen?"

Kane looked from the cold, blue fire of Clarke Griffin to the bright red burning flame that was my brother before heaving a sigh. "Have it your way. But there will be reprecussions for this." He stalked away, his proverbial tail between his legs, and Bellamy slung an arm over the princess's shoulder.

"Come on Clarke, tell me what Raven said. Everything ready?" And with that the show was over. We only had about two hours before Bellamy and the others would be leaving to start putting our plan into action.

I smiled. Those two were slowly saving the world, and falling in love at the same time and I had a feeling that I am the only one that had figured it out. I had seen the way Bellamy's eyes followed her these days, and hers him. I had seen the way they soften around each other. Seen the faith they had in the other. I had seen the fear in Clarke's eyes same as my own when Bell tried to go on his suicide mission. I could see the tension now, about what he was setting out to do later, but I had faith in him. And I had threatened Murphy within an inch of his life about what would happen in something happened to my big brother. I followed their path, needing to be close to him myself, before he ran off to play hero.

"That was pretty badass Princess. You just went toe-to-toe with Marcus Kane and won." I heard her chuckle. "Nah Bell you won, I was just the final kick. And you were pretty badass yourself." I smirked and pushed my way into his room. "Yes big brother, you were the Rebel King at his finest once more tonight." I laughed at the looks on their faces when they realized my presence. They had no concept of personal space anymore, but unlike the show with Kane outside, there was nothing hostile about this lack of space.

"You ready to go Bell? Have you talked to Murphy and Monroe yet?" He nodded, "Ya we are meeting up at Raven's Gate in an hour and a half. You ready to march in the morning?"

I flashed him a smirk to mirror his own. "Damn right I'm ready!" He smiled, but it was the soft big brother smile. "Promise me you will be smart out their O. You to Clarke." He turned the soft smile on her and I watched her melt under its warmth. "I promise big brother."

"I will do my best Bellamy. But I am just like you. Whatever it takes to get them home, I will do." He winced slightly but accepted her answer and to my surprise brought us both in for hug, because here in the shelter of his room on the ark he could be affectionate.

As I sank into his familiar hug I saw Clarke close her eyes and take a deep breath and I felt Bellamy mirror that breath, and in that moment I knew that I had to do what was necessary to get Clarke and I back to my brother because I don't think I have ever seen either one as content and relaxed as they are now. "Meet me before I leave?" It was a question for both of us, and he got identical nods. He took a deep breath and walked back out the door. A confidence in his step that was more pronounced then I have ever seen it.

Next to me, Clarke to pushed the last few moments away and faced me. "I got your back out their O." I smirked, "You read my eyes princess. Now let's get this show on the road. I need me a Jasper hug." She chuckled and then followed my brothers path out the door.

I closed my eyes, _I'm coming Lincoln. Just hold on. God I hope you are okay. Or I am going to kick some serious Mountain Men ass, regardless of what happens tomorrow._

 _Hello fellow 100 readers. I had a sudden strike of motivation and inspiration today and cranked out three chapters! Sorry for the radio silence but between school and writers block it hasn't been easy to write, but I am all better now. My summer is also looking wide open so I am hoping for more days like this! Thanks for reading as always! XOXO_


	10. Chapter 10

**Outside POV**

As afternoon hurried to dark, Camp Jaha rushed to prepare. Bombs were loaded into packs with careful instructions from Wick. Weapons were all being checked and cleaned before being handed out. The grounders were on their own preparation path; cleaning knives and swords, giving weary looks to the guns being loaded around them. Tensions swirled as the moment of the first strike team's departure grew closer and closer.

Abigail Griffin hid in her office, fuming at her public defeat and the verbal beat down she had heard Marcus receive moments before at the hands of our Rebel King and his Princess. Kane himself was fuming, not used to being so blatantly disrespected. Especially from the likes of Nathan Miller Sr. He did not have kids however, so he did not understand that kid trumps loyalty in most parent's hearts.

Abby, couldn't get the words her daughter had used against her out of her head. She couldn't believe her daughter would use Jake against her, but Clarke Griffin, is her mother's child. It is something she would have done to Marcus Kane not that long ago, even if she didn't see that connection.

Across camp Bellamy Blake was speaking to Indra about their strike team. Ensuring that they could indeed reach their destination at the hoped for time, and get this rescue mission started. Clarke Griffin, never far away from the Rebel King, was putting together a few med kits to disperse. She was rolling bandages and dispersing tiny glasses of moonshine for disinfectant to put in each med kit when the Rebel King himself made his way to his princess. He was worried for her. She was leading an army, in broad daylight, with a person he did not trust, and even worse; taking his sister with her. He knew that it had to be done, but that didn't make him any happier about the prospects of the two people in complete control of his heart going to war. He was denying the extent of his care for the blonde girl, but care he did. He had no idea that the same feelings were taking place in his co-leaders mind. She too was denying the extent of her care for this man, she worried that things had been going to easy. Something was going to bite them in the ass, she just hoped whatever happened didn't happen to him.

With twenty minutes left before his departure the two are once more standing side by side. "Be safe Bell." The words, given quietly, made his heart warm. "You to Princess." He turned to his sister who had appeared at his side. "Don't be dumb big brother. I can't lose you to." The dark-haired man smiled at his female counter-part, "You to O. On all accounts." The three parted ways as Indra stepped forward, two quiet men lingering behind her. "Let's move." Bellamy's quite order was issued, and as the sun began to set over the mountain that was soon to fall, there was nothing but hope in the hearts of the rescuers, both those waiting for dawn and those already on the march.

***Bellamy's POV**

As the safety of Camp Jaha faded, the five us quietly crept towards our mark. It would be an all-night trek, and in the early morning we would give Raven the final push that she needs. The 48 have hopefully made it this far, and we can get them the hell out of that mountain and, with any luck, secure peace at the same time.

As we walked away, I could feel the heaviness of what I was about to do settling in. Blowing the damn was good, but it would also draw attention, we would be the first wave of combat. I knew, logically, that it would come to that, but I was not a fan of the idea of killing. I understand that it is a reality of war, but that doesn't mean it makes me feel any better. Yes, I Bellamy Blake have killed before, but I didn't and don't enjoy it. Sadly, it is a reality of our lives here on the ground, so I have learned to numb myself to that reality. I shook myself out of my stupor when I felt someone fall into line with me.

I looked to my left, and there was Murphy. "So Blake, are you ready for some action?" I rolled my eyes, but before I could respond, he looked me dead in the eye and said the words I never expected to come out of his mouth. "I am sorry for what I did to you. What I made Charlotte feel like she had to do. I know that I have made mistakes, but I have been on my own longer than most. My dad was floated on the ark for stealing the medicine that saved my life, and my mom never forgave me for that." He paused, and took a deep breath. "But I am realizing now that I need to wield that anger elsewhere, like you do, instead of taking it out on the people who are trying to survive with me. So I'm sorry, and this is me saying I am going to try to do better. Starting with having your back out here. Do you think we can agree to at least try and work together again?" Well that was unexpected, but in my mind I heard Clarke's voice saying _I do believe in second chances though_ and I realized that I never gave him a second chance the way she did so I was going to now. "Ya Murphy, I can agree to that." He nodded and fell silent, and we walked most of the rest of the way in silence. I was strategizing in my head, at least for what the three of us from the ark could do, and I knew that we would have to sync that with whatever the grounders decided to do, but I would cross that bridge when I came to it.

When we got to our stopping point, where we would wait to give the army a start before blowing the damn, Indra approached me. "What do you propose our strategy to be, Bellamy com Skaikru?"

"I think that we utilize the strengths we have to our advantage. We have the high ground, we hold them off with sniper fire as long as we can after we blow the damn, and then we resort to hand to hand only when they get in close range. We do need to find cover though because according to Clarke they have fire power as well. I am hoping that the damn being blown will delay them in retaliating, but in the off chance it doesn't, we fight like hell to get to somewhere with cover and hold them off until the army gets here." Indra nodded. "That may be a few hours. Do you believe we can hold out that long?"

"I do. Part of the plan was for Raven to lock down our prisoners in their prospective cells, so we don't have to worry about injuring them. She is also dismantling the signal for the acid fog so they won't be able to utilize that to their advantage either. We have enough rounds to last awhile, and I know that we have good aim, so I think we will be okay." She took a moment to consider my words and then agreed and went to tell her men the plan, while I relayed it to Monroe and Murphy.

"Okay so the plan is to hold them down with fire power after we blow the damn. Don't take the hard shot, find the shot you know you can take and take it. No need to waste ammo. If we need, we resort to hand to hand combat, but I am hopeful it won't come to that right away. So after we blow the damn, find cover and get ready. Got that?"

They both nodded and so we settled in to wait for our signal. As soon as the army moved, we would blow the damn and then hold the mountain men off until they arrived. The signal would be a burst of static from Raven saying she was ready and the army was moving. I could only pray that they covered that ground quickly because as confident as I was in our plan, I didn't want to risk the fate of the 48 on five people, three rifles, my hand gun, and the grounder spears and knives.

Right as the sky began to lighten the signal came through. We crept to the opening of the damn, and it was exactly as Clarke had drawn it. We pulled the pins on the bombs, threw two into the mouth of the damn, and put the other three on the sides of the damn and then we ran back to the high ground, and the ground shook when the damn blew. We turned in time to see the water fly high and then resettle but the machines we could faintly hear whirring before were now quiet and knew Raven was shutting down the doors inside the mountain and dismantling what she could for us.

Ten minutes later I saw movement through my scope. "We got movement. Here we go! Remember take the shot you are sure you can take!"

***Clarke's POV**

As the army moved out I prayed that Bellamy and the others would be able to hold out until we made it to them, but they had more than enough firepower so I had to put my faith in that. As we moved out of the safety of the riven I could feel the rush of adrenaline in the air around me. We had marched early this morning, as the sun was barley rising to make it to the riven, followed by the grounders that had been training us. We were small in number, compared to the grounder army, but there was still almost 100 sky people headed for the mountain.

Lexa was riding on the horse next to mine, that I had been given upon arrival. Octavia was not far behind on a horse of her own, however this horse was hers now. It had been presented to her as a token of appreciation from some of Lincoln's clan members.

She looked every inch the grounder warrior she had become, and I knew that Lincoln would be proud of her. I just had to pray that he was okay and that the 48 remained locked away until we could get to them.

We felt the ground shake moments after I had given the signal to Raven, it was faint, but the rumble could be heard, we knew that the plan was underway.

We moved quickly, and thankfully we were covering the remaining distance between us and where I knew we would halt to await the mountain men's action. We had been marching in near silence except for the clinking of armor and weapons when Lexa turned to me. "You are quiet, Clarke, what is on your mind?"

"We are marching to war Commander, a war that has started without us, and our only line of defense is five people deep."

"You worry for your partner and the people you sent."

"Yes. I lead as well as I do because of Bellamy." She looked my way. Before saying, "Leadership is a funny thing Clarke. We do not get the luxury of relying on someone else. We must lead as we see fit. Love is a weakness to leaders as I have had to learn the hard way." I scoffed. "Maybe to you Commander. For us it isn't only love, it is trust. I trust that Bellamy will do what is necessary to bring our people home, and he trusts me the same. Yes, I care for him, but that is not the sole reason why I am worried about our five men defense team." Just then we heard the distant popping of rifles and Octavia made her way towards us. "That will Bellamy and the others. We are closing in."

Lexa turned in her saddle and began a grounder war chant that went up around us and after a moment, they quieted and she spoke. "We have been afraid of the mountain for far too long. Today that tyranny ends. Today we rescue our people, and bring them home. Today we solidify peace through war. Skaikru are our allies, fight with them as equals." She turned to me and I spoke up. "Today we bring the remaining 48 of the Sky people home. Today we rescue them. Tomorrow we work on thriving on earth. We didn't survive a hundred years in space to give up now. The grounders are our allies. Fight with them. Protect one and other, and we will soon be reunited with our loved ones." The roar once again broke out and we moved even more quickly over the remaining ground, and within a half an hour we reached our stopping place.

We saw bodies littering the ground in the distance, closer to the hill where the damn was, and I knew they were all mountain men soldiers.

I brought the radio to my lips and began to speak, knowing that Raven would have patched our radio feed into theirs digitally. "We are here for our people. There is an army at your doors. We are willing to make peace, but we will not allow more of our own to die at the hands of you. So you have two choices. Open the door and surrender peacefully, or we blow the door, and you all die from radiation poisoning. Your choice. You have ten minutes. Jasper, delinquents, hold tight. We will bring you home."

The radio crackled as soon as I released the button. "Nice of you to join in Princess." I smirked. He was letting his people know he was here as well.

We waited only a few moments more before I heard Dante begin to speak. "We can not allow your people to leave. They are our chance at salvation. Blow the doors if you must but know that there is an army inside this mountain."

I brought the radio up, "Yes Dante there is, but that army is nothing compared to the one at your doorstep. Do you want to condemn the women and children in your mountain to death at their hands, because believe me, there will be no mercy if we have to force our way in. We will do whatever it takes to get our people home. Grounder, sky person, it doesn't matter, we will get them out." A cheer went up behind me at my words and I watched the door across the small open area across from us for any sign of movement before speaking again. "You have five minutes left, then we blow the door and your people perish. Your choice."

"I am sorry Clarke, but we can't open the door. Do what you must." It was no longer Dante speaking. It was his son, Cage. "Your funeral Cage." I nodded to Octavia who waved two of the guard forward and they moved for the door, placing the bombs that would force their door open. "Last chance, otherwise we take no prisoners." That was Lexa, but I remained stoically silent. I was not a fan of the idea of killing innocents, but logically I knew that no one in that mountain was innocent, they knew my people could get them to the ground, they would not stop until they got what they wanted, even if it meant killing innocents. We would do the same to get our people out of there safely.

When no action was taken I gave the signal for the door to be blown, and the war began.

**Bellamy's POV***

As I listened to Clarke, I could only pray that this didn't destroy her. I knew that she was no more a fan of killing innocents than I was, but they were trying to harm our people, and that meant we do whatever it takes to get them out. We had stopped firing until the doors blew, but I knew that there were still men trying to get to us, and I was worried because some of the men I had shot hadn't been in radiation suits, which meant they had already began using our people.

"Clarke, some of them have no suits on."

"Got it Bell." Was her only response, and then they must have given a signal to move because the army surged forward, and chaos began. "Indra you and men get rid of the remaining men down there. Monroe, Murphy with me." I was not about to let my sister go into that mountain without me in there as well. "Wait. You must trust that they do what they set out to do. We must clear this forest together, and then we join them." I clenched my teeth so as not to snap, but I knew she was right. "Fine. Make this quick then." She nodded and her and her men ran towards the remnants of the unit we had been picking apart for the last two hours and I set my rifle back down and began firing once ore, Monroe and Murphy followed my lead.

We cleared the remaining men fast and then I heard a voice I hadn't heard in a while come over the radio. "Bellamy you there?"

"Miller? How do you have a radio?"

"Long story, but now that we know you're in the feed here's the situation. Jasper and Maya got us weapons. We can fight if we need to. I am assuming that we have Raven to thank for the fact that we are locked in and talking now?"  
"Affirmative."

"Okay what do you want us to do. We are on level three. Most of the population lives on level 5. Jasper wants to know if there is any way we can spare the innocents." Maya. The girl he liked, had to be the reason behind that. "I don't know Miller; we already blew the main door. I am assuming the oxygen scrubbers are doing their job for now, but I don't know how long you will have before that level gets irradiated. Put Jasper on."

"Hey Bellamy."

"Put her in a suit Jasper. That is the only way I can think to keep her alive for now. As for the rest of them, I am sorry but I don't know. What's the status of the rest of the 48?"

"Its 46 now. Fox is gone, and Bellamy, they have Harper. They are outside the doors trying to get it open. I can hear them." I closed my eyes. "Okay you have weapons. If they get in use them."

"Jasper." Clarke was back. "Clarke! Hey!"

"We have cleared the first level. I have men headed your way. Hold them off as long you can if they get in, but be safe. Bellamy, any chance you can join us? We may need you all in here soon. They are locking themselves in their rooms, that will keep them alive, but not for long. We need to get this over with before they get a chance to recoup."

I met Indra's eyes form where she was across form me, and she gave me a nod. I smirked. "I will be in shortly Princess, save some fun for me."

I turned back to the others and gave the order to move, and we were off. We had people to save.

***Clarke's POV**

Octavia was at my side, and I saw the release of breath she let out when we heard Miller and then Bellamy speak. It was chaos around us and in front of us but we were out of the fray for a moment. I smirked at Bell's sign off, and then met her eyes. "Let's go find the grounders and see if Lincoln is there." She met my eyes, shock clear in her expression. "You don't want to rush for the others?"

"They have weapons O. The grounders don't. Yet. Let's get to them and change that, and end this. Let's get you back to Lincoln okay?" She grinned and threw her arms around me. "You are the best Clarke!"

I turned to my left and nodded at Lexa. "I am going for your people. Help my team of guards get to mine of you can, but we also need to find the command center, that is where their leaders will be, and we also need to get to their lab, they have some of our people there." She nodded. "I will send some warriors to your people. Let them know that we will be with the people rescuing them." She turned and headed into the fray, Gustus prowling in front of her, ever the bodyguard.

"Jasper, Miller we are in here with the grounders. Some of them are going to be there when we get you out. Don't shoot them."

"Got it, and Clarke, Maya. How are we going to get her out? She saved most of us Clarke, I am not leaving her here. She is in a suit but her oxygen tank is low."

"I will get her more. I will do my best to ensure that we get her out. Tell the rescue team I said she is with us."

"Okay thanks Clarke."

I signed off and made to follow Octavia towards the Grounders when we heard a growl emanating from behind us. We turned to the doors and I flinched when I realized what we had forgotten. "Reapers." I met O's eyes. "Let's get the hell out of here before they get here. We need to get to the grounders!" We started running, warning as many as we could as to what was coming.

We managed to warn enough grounders that they turned to meet the reapers and were holding them off. "Clarke, the reapers are here." I rolled my eyes. "I see them. You guys got ammo enough to start picking them off from the back?"

"For now, but if we are needed inside I don't see how we will get there."

"How many do you think there are?"

"40 tops form the looks of it. We can handle them, but I will get inside as soon as that happens."

"Okay. Be careful." I looked at Octavia and we once again pushed off. Heading for level three and the grounder prisoners.

Part two of the final battle will be Chapter 11, which should hopefully be up later this afternoon.


	11. Chapter 11

**Octavia's POV***

As Clarke and I pushed our way through the chaos I made sure to have her back, and I knew she had mine. We fought through the fray of mountain men in suits fighting grounders and sky people alike and made it to the stairs. I let Clarke take the lead, since she knew where she was going, and followed keeping my eye out for any enemy trying to get the drop on us.

We made it to the third level, but I heard movement so I reached out and pulled Clarke back, at the same time the sounds seemed to register with her as well. We paused, listening and catching our breaths.

"They have people guarding the grounders. Shit. I figured the 48 would be the priority." Clarke muttered more to herself than me, and I knew she was worried. It was two against however many were around that corner.

Just then we heard movement on the stairs again and I lifted my sword, only to lower as Murphy came into view. We lifted our fingers to our lips, trying to keep him quiet and he caught on. "Bellamy sent me to find you. Back you up. How many?" I rolled my eyes, overprotective big brother strikes again.

"No idea."

He looked from me to Clarke. "If it is a full unit we are screwed. They have about 30 per unit. We took out three earlier. If it is less we may be okay. How are we gonna find out?" We both looked to Clarke, who seemed to be thinking hard about that question.

"You aren't. I am. Wait here. I will whistle if it is a full unit. If not, wait for my signal and then we can try and get through them. Get the door open and get grounders weaponized in there if they are strong enough." I opened my mouth to deny her, but she was already moving. Murphy was muttering that she was reckless but he made no move to follow her either. A few moments later we heard her signal, a boom echoing through the hallway. We ran to her and I saw that she must have pulled one of the smaller bombs Wick had made out and used it. There was still about 12 men scrambling for weapons and shots but Murphy and Clarke were already shooting so I jumped into action. I kept low and went for knees and anything I could hit that would drop the men shooting at Clarke. It took us a few minutes but we had managed to incapacitate enough of them to get to the door. Murphy and I covered for Clarke while she tried to get the door open and sure enough it swung open as I was cutting through the last of the mountain men soldiers that weren't retreating down the hallway.

I took a deep breath, getting ready for whatever I would find on the side of that door, and prayed that somewhere on the other side I would find Lincoln.

We swept into the room, weapons up in case anyone was hiding in here to ambush us, and that's when I saw what they were doing to these people. They were held in cages much to small, and they looked weak. Like they hadn't been fed and it didn't smell all that pleasant in here either. Clarke dropped her gun to her side and immediately started looking for something she could break open the locks with, and after searching and finding nothing she called me over. Try hitting it with your sword.

I warned the grounder in the cage to step back and then I swung, hard, and sure enough after a few hits the chain was weak enough we could pull the door open and break it. I took off, searching cages as I went. So far I hadn't found Lincoln, just a lot of very skinny, very grateful grounders from all tribes. Once such case was the girl I was currently springing. "I am Echo com Azgeda. Who are you?"

"Octavia com Skaikru. We are working with the Commander to get you all out. Can you fight?" She nodded, "Great tell them all that anyone who can fight needs to be ready, and anyone else needs to head stay behind me and Clarke." I pointed at the blonde a row over who was checking over the people I was slowly freeing. While Echo spoke I continued, I was on the last row of cages and still there was no sign of Lincoln. I was getting desperate. And then I heard it. "Octavia?" His voice, quiet, pained but his none thee less. I ran for it, and there he was. Stuck in a cage, looking beat to hell, worse than what Bellamy and Raven had done to him. "Lincoln! I will get you out! Hang on!" I swung hard a few times, broke the chain and then I was pulling him into my arms. Clarke had heard my shout and come running. "Lincoln! Good to see you! Let me check him O, go get the last five. I promise I will look after him." I met his eyes, and leaned forward pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead before I took off to do as I asked.

***Clarke's POV**

I looked down at the man Octavia loved and took a deep breath. "Can you stand?" He nodded, and very slowly I got him into a standing position. "What is going on?"

"The Commander and I are springing all our prisoners. The remnants of the 100 are here, have been since after the battle at the dropship." He nodded, and then quieted so I could look him over. He would be fine. Most of his wounds were superficial. Deep, but not bad enough to worry about right away. What he really needed, same as the others, was food and water. "You think you are good to fight?" He met my eyes and nodded as Octavia came running back. He opened his arms and I stepped back. Octavia stepped into his arms, and closed her eyes. He dropped a kiss to her head, and then began whispering. I let them have their moment, moving back to the front of the room. The girl that had been speaking in Trigdesling turned to me. "We are ready. Where are we needed."

"Let me find that out." I unclipped the radio from my belt. "Bellamy? Lexa? Status?" Bellamy answered first. "Reapers are taken care of. I am heading for the lab. I have Miller. The 46 are out. Jasper and Maya are here as well. We are looking for oxygen for her as we go. Where are you?"

"The Grounders are out. Where should I send the ones that can fight."

"Level Four. We have them pinned there, but I dint know for how long. Some of them should also sweep the tunnels. Was he there?" I smiled, "Yes, he and O are reunited. Most of them should be fine, they are just in need of meds, water and food. Some I am going to lead out. I will send most of them to reinforce four. Any sign of the leadership?"

"No but that was my goal after getting to Fox and Harper."

"Okay. I will meet you after I get them out." I turned, and relayed the message to the girl that had stepped up. "There should be weapons littering the floor, pick them up as you go." She nodded and then they were off. Octavia and Lincoln remained at my side, "Where we headed Clarke?"

"We need to get these people out of here. The 46 that were locked up are out. Bell is going for the rest in the lab. Hopefully he will be able to take out their scientist. No sign of the leadership." She nodded. "Let's do this then. Lincoln, Murphy and I get them out. You go back Bell up and finish this mess." I smiled. "I can be on board with that. Lincoln you sure your good?" He nodded so I turned to Murphy. "Get them out. Then you and O go for the lab unless I say otherwise. If you see an older guy with white hair and he reeks of privilege take him out. That's their president. His son is a prick to but he is harder to describe. Be careful." He nodded and then they ushered the grounders out, and I followed but turned the other way, heading for the lab.

I heard footsteps coming as I reached the opposite end of the hallway, and around the corner came Bell and the others. I dropped my gun, and smiled in relief. "O and the others are getting the injured out." He grinned back. "Good. Nice to see you princess. How many bullets you got left?" I checked my magazine. "Ten, and I only have one more clip and my handgun after that." Jasper wasn't going to wait anymore though, he flung himself at me, "Clarke! They told us you died. That you killed yourself. I am so sorry I didn't listen to you!" I patted his back my soft smile on my face. "It's okay Jasper."

I turned to the girl behind him in the suit. "Thanks for keeping them alive. I am sorry about this." I waved my hand around.

"Your welcome. It's not your fault my people decided to go insane and hurt innocent people. I am just sorry that some of the innocent will be collateral."

"We can save you Maya. If we can find enough oxygen to get you back to camp, I will volunteer to give you the marrow you need, and I am sure others will as well, but first we have to end this. Where would Cage and Dante go to monitor the situation?"

"The command center. It's on level five. It's the gateway to the living quarters. I can lead you there. The closer we get to them I am guessing I will find more oxygen tanks. And soldiers. Last I heard they were pulling them all back to guard the citizens."

"There is a bunch of oxygen being wasted on dead soldiers down the hall. Lead them to the lab." I gestured to Miller and Jasper. "Then get the hell out. Bellamy and I will deal with Cage and Dante." She nodded, and I turned back to my partner. "You ready for this?" The infamous smirk was back. "Oh Princess I was born ready. Let's end this."

**Bellamy's POV***

As soon as Clarke came around that corner I felt calmer. At least I knew she was okay and that my sister and Lincoln were getting the heck out of here. We headed for level five, and their center of command, keeping an eye out for soldiers, leadership, and Lexa.

"We are out Clarke. Do you need us?" Clarke's radio crackled and my sisters voice could be heard. I shook my head at Clarke, telling her no. O needed to be outside. "No O I think we are good. Stay with the injured. Get them back to Camp Jaha if you can. Take care of Lincoln. We got this. Oh, and have you seen Lexa?"

"No but her guard detail isn't out here so I am assuming she is still inside, getting her own wounded out. I will see if I can start getting these guys back to Camp Jaha. I'll switch frequencies and let Raven know so she can warn Abby. Monty and the rest of them are with me as well. We will get them home. You get the rest of us out of there and take care of the bastards." She chuckled, "Got it O, sounds good."

So we still need to find Lexa, but at least I knew that Jasper and Miller would get Fox and Harper out, and hopefully take out the doctor if she's there. "So find Lexa then?" Clarke nodded, "She will want to be there to deal with Dante and Cage as well."

"You won't find them." We whipped around, and some guy was standing there with a gun pointed at us. His badge read Emmerson, and I assumed he was important because he had obviously already been treated for radiation with bone marrow. "Says one man with a gun."

I saw Clarke roll her eyes but before she could retort, Emerson opened his. "Clarke Griffin I presume?" Clarke nodded. "If you are looking for the president and his son, I'm sorry but you won't find them." She snorted, "as my friend here so eloquently put it, how is one guy with one gun going to stop two people with two guns?" I smirked.

"We have your friends with us. They aren't in the lab." I growled. "Let them go." Emerson smirked. "Or what? You shoot me one of them dies. You move from this hallway, one of them dies. Get the idea?" I growled.

"Okay so take us to Dante and Cage then, and take our weapons." I looked at Clarke, not sure where she was going with this. "Or better yet, take me. I know that's who they want. Let my friends go."

Emerson laughed. "That isn't how this works. Sadly, for you."

"Fine have it your way." She turned to the camera at the end of the hallway. "I tried. I did. I'm sorry. We didn't want to kill you all, but you have left me no choice. Raven, do it." I was confused. What was she talking about? "Wait!" Emerson yelled, "What are you doing?"

"Our friend, she is a genius. She's the reason we got into your system. She was digging through your code, she found things. Like a reversal for your oxygen scrubbers. Now obviously that doesn't matter for you, but for the citizens down a couple hallways. Well that, Emerson means death. You have about two minutes. What say you. Are two people worth your whole population dying?" She turned to the camera. "How about you Dante? Cage?"

Just then Lexa came striding down the hallway behind Emmerson, her to men guard team following. "I suggest that you listen. She is not bluffing. We never shared the whole plan, knowing there was a chance you would catch snippets of it. We never mentioned your damn. We never mentioned this. So what say you? Are you willing to stand here and sentence your people to death?"

"Boss?" We watched the terror play on his face. "He thinks your both bluffing." My eyes went to Clarke. She shrugged, "he has one more minute, give or take, do you think I'm bluffing." She was wearing that chillingly cold smile, and I knew in that moment that she wasn't bluffing. She would kill them all if she had to. I may not know how this happened, or when, but she had been keeping it a secret, and I can read her like a book. She isn't kidding. She is going to bring the mountain to its knees. "She isn't bluffing. Trust me, I can tell."

"Boss?" He waited a moment, then he nodded. "Follow me. They want her as well." He pointed at Lexa, who followed. "No soldiers." She paused, considering it. "Fine." She held up her hand and her guard stopped, though they didn't look happy about it, especially Gustus. "Give us a sec Raven." The radio crackled, meaning she would. We shared a look and fell into step behind the guy, soon we would find ourselves face to face with Dante and Cage and I had no idea what she had planned. However, if it got us to Fox and Harper, then we would do whatever necessary to save them.

***Clarke's POV**

Keeping the final card hidden worked so well. Now I just had to figure out how to get us out of this freaking mountain and not have to use it. I was also praying that Jasper, Maya and Miller get out without getting stopped. I didn't need to worry about them, I already was worried about Fox and Harper. I met Bellamy's eyes, the worry evident in his eyes as well. He tilted his head, _what now?_ I shook my head slightly. _Working on it._ He nodded once and looked away, just as we were lead through the door and found ourselves in a coms room that would make Raven and Monty's mouths water. And of course, it was filled with Mountain Men soldiers.

"Welcome Clarke. Commander." Dante left Bellamy out, focusing on me and Lexa, but my eyes weren't on him they were on the bodies lying on the floor. Only one looked like it was breathing, Fox didn't appear to be anymore. I hissed, "You said they would live if we didn't move. Neither of us moved. Care to explain?"

Cage smirked at me. "She passed on account of her wounds. We did nothing to aid that process." Bellamy growled and my frown deepened. "That wasn't very smart junior." I was pissed. "You forgot I hold the key to your survival and yet you did nothing to save her. Not the smartest decision you have ever made. It seems to me that you did not get your fathers smarts. Or his looks, sucks for you." I turned to Dante. "It's simple really. You let Harper go, let ALL of us leave, and I leave your people alive. You don't, your people die. What is it going to be Mr. President?"

"I can't allow that to happen Clarke. My people want to feel the sun, live outside. They will keep demanding, we will keep coming, even if we allow you to leave."

"What is to stop us from killing you all then?" That was Lexa. I could tell she was tired of listening to this talk. 'Well Commander, that is the million-dollar question isn't it?"

"Cage, shut your mouth." I snickered and I could see Bellamy choking on a laugh and smirking. "I am all for listening to suggesting and talking civilly Commander." I rolled my eyes.

"There isn't going to be much to talk about until you let us have Fox's body, take Harper, and leave. You have nothing to offer us that we don't already have from the ark, or the grounders, so you aren't top dog in this situation Dante, and I am not your son, so you can't shut me up. So what do you say? I am rather tired of this and all I have to do is hit one button and all the people here die."

"I can't do that Clarke. How are we supposed to live knowing that you could wipe us out at any moment?"

"My mom is one of the best doctors on the ark, she and her team could find a way to save all of you that didn't require drilling into people and killing them. But that would only be on the table if you let us walk out of here now, and we all take care of our dead and wounded. You have five minutes to decide, or I push the button and my friend irradiates this mountain. And you let me help Harper now or I push the button sooner."

"Very well, you may assist young Harper, but you try anything and we start shooting." I nodded. I quickly ran to Harper and began looking her over. "Clarke? Am I…am I dead?" I smiled sadly at the girl on the floor. "No Harper, we are still in the mountain but I promise Bellamy and I will get you out of here. Now I am going to check you out. What hurts the most?" She whimpered and pointed to her leg and her other arm. I quickly looked them over and knew that she would not be walking out of here. She would need to be carried. I sighed, their five minutes was almost up. "Harper I will be right back okay? I have to finish getting us out of here." I stood and made my way back to the center of the room, to the smug old man standing at its center.

"Your five minutes are almost up, and this time I won't stop it from happening so what is it going to be Dante. Watching your people die, or letting us go and finding another solution?"

His face fell slightly and I knew, right then that we would be walking out of here, but that anyone not in a hazmat suit and plenty of oxygen wasn't. "I cannot allow my people's last chance walk out the door on a flimsy promise of salvation and a fault that could be activated at any moment."

"I have no choice then Dante." I sighed, looked away from the president and briefly met Bellamy's eyes, apologizing silently for what I was about to do, and ignoring Lexa all together. "Do it Raven. They won't budge." I heard the click of the oxygen scrubbers stopping, and then they reversed, and half the men around me started gasping and falling to the ground. I noticed the Cage and Dante didn't fall, neither did Emerson and a few other guards. They had already been treated. She saw Cage's next action coming before he even moved and she had her revolver trained on him before he could get his hands on one of the guards guns. "Don't even think about it. I will shoot you if you move." He froze, and I turned to Dante. "Your now one of twelve left from Mount Weather. Congrats. Your people are dead." My voice was ice, I felt like I was floating away from my body, not really experiencing all of this, like it was a dream.

I hadn't lowered the gun, and everyone from the mountain was eyeing me wearily. Bellamy appeared behind me, "Princess, it's okay. Give me the gun." I shuddered, passed the gun over and then shook myself out of the growing panic. "You get to live. Leave. Come back anywhere near here, us or the grounders and you will die. Go. Start over somewhere else. Think about what you did, to innocent people, children, and think of the consequence."

Dante nodded, realizing this girl in front of him meant business. He led his people, all eleven of them out and then the twelve remaining mountain left, after both Lexa and I ordered the remaining army members and arkers not to shoot at them, and to let them pass. With them gone there was nothing left to do, the 48, no 47, were saved. I was a mass murder, again, but they were safe. That was my last thought before I felt myself falling not hearing the shot that had taken me down.


	12. Chapter 12

***Bellamy's POV**

Before I could process it, Clarke was falling, she had been shot. I turned to where the shot had come from and found Cage Wallace standing there with a vindictive smirk on his face. It would be his last.

Before I even moved however, Lexa beat me to the punch. He fell to the floor with her knife sticking out of his throat. He was dead. There was no chance to save him even if he had wanted to. My concern, my priority was now Clarke.

She was cradled in my arms, bleeding out. "Clarke! Clarke can you hear me?" I was shaking. Her eyes fluttered but she didn't open them. I brought the radio to my lips. "Someone bring a stretcher to the command center. Now. Clarke's down. We need to get her back so her mom can treat her."

"On my way." Miller. Steady, reliable Miller. "You need to cauterize the wound, or she won't survive the trip back to your camp." I didn't look at Lexa, couldn't. "I don't have a knife. Or a flame."

She knelt next to Clarke, and eyed the wound. "She is strong. I will go light a fire in another room, and heat the knife. But she needs to be near me when I do, so that the knife is hot enough to do what it needs. You must carry her, gently." I nodded, numb. I lifted her gently, and she whimpered, eyes opening slightly. "We are going to save you Clarke, you're not dying on me. Not now."

"It was too easy. I knew something would… Bell I…" I hushed her. "Shh. Don't talk. Just focus on me okay? I need you Clarke, you can't die." She was right. It had been too easy, too smooth. I knew something would have had to go wrong eventually, I just never thought that it would be her getting shot. I couldn't let her die. I need her like people need air to breathe. Her fire is what kept mine burning. If her fire dies, mine dies and I can't let that happen. I watched her eyes fall closed again as she succumbed to the pain once more and I prayed to anyone listening that she would get through this.

I followed Lexa down the hall, and into a resident's room. I didn't register the bodies, barley registering Lexa ripping sheets from the bed and lighting one on fire with the stove before adding it to the large pile of clothing she had thrown in a steel bucket. She held the knife over her fire and motioned for me to set her down.

"She will try to move away. You can't allow that. She will be in pain. She will scream. Don't let her move until I am done." All I could do was nod. She was my sole focus. My world had narrowed down to her the moment I heard that gun fire. I faintly registered Miller arriving with his father and a stretcher. "Miller you will need to help me hold her down okay?" He nodded, his dad was holding a med kit that they quickly realized would do no good for her right now.

He joined me on the floor holding Clarke's left side down, while I held her right. She was on her stomach, because she had been shot in the back, her back having been to Cage when he shot her. She came to again, and whimpered brining me back to reality. She suddenly looked so small, and once again I was struck with just how young she really was. She couldn't die, not yet. She was too young to have life ripped from her.

"It is almost ready." Lexa's voice brought me out of my thoughts and I braced myself for the pain I was about to witness and feel. Her pain was going to be a pain for me. I whispered, "Come on Princess, don't die on me now. We still have so much to do, so much I wanted to tell you so I need you to survive. We will get through this together, just like everything else on this stupid planet."

Lexa came over and pressed the knife to the wound on Clarke's back, and as predicted Clarke came to screaming. "Shh, it's okay Princess. We are trying to cauterize your wound but you need to be still okay." Glittering, pain-filled blue eyes met mine and she nodded. She bit down on her lip and tried to stop moving. Pain was written all over her face and I felt her pain seeping into me.

As fast as it started it was over, her wound sealed. "We need to get her back to camp. Now." Lexa steeped out of the way and Miller and I shifted Clarke onto the stretcher and began the trek out of the mountain. Clarke had faded into sleep again when the knife was taken away from her skin. I prayed that moment that our eyes had connected hadn't been the last and then I headed for Camp, Miller on the other side of the stretcher and Miller Sr. radioed back to camp, letting them know Abby needed to be ready.

We moved through the forest as fast as we could, and it took me longer than it should have to realize that Lexa was following us, her and her guards acting as our guard behind and Miller Sr. out in front. I realized with a small jolt that one of the grounders was carrying Harper and vaguely I felt guilty for forgetting about her, but my mind was consumed with the girl in front of me. Knowing we were protected, that Harper would get the help she needed, did nothing for my nerves. I was watching Clarke's chest rise and fall, and willing it to stay that way.

After what may have been the longest walk of my life, the gates of Camp Jaha could be seen in the distance. We speed up slightly and as soon as we were in the gates the crowd parted and we took her to med bay.

***Octavia's POV**

I saw Bellamy and Miller carrying a stretcher and went running. There was Clarke Griffin laying in the stretcher, looking smaller than I think I have ever seen her. I followed them to med bay, watching my brother. He hadn't even clocked me following, and in that moment I knew that if the princess died I was losing him. He needed her in the same way I needed Lincoln.

After they lifted her onto an exam table Jackson began kicking everyone out, including Abby, who had stared, frozen, the moment her daughter had been brought into med bay, barley clinging to life. Bellamy was resolute. I could see the argument on his face. "Come on big brother, sit with me and let Jackson do his thing." Bell finally realized I was there, and I saw the pain in his eyes. His eyes were filled with tears and I don't think I have ever seen Bellamy cry. He followed me, almost numb after leaning down and whispering something into Clarke's ear and kissing her forehead.

I found a seat against a wall right outside the med bay knowing that Bell wouldn't go much further than this, and within moments we were surrounded by our friends. I clocked the girl in the radiation suit following Jasper and realized she may not live much longer. Abby turned to her as soon as I had the thought. "We need to get you transfusions, or you will run out of oxygen. Any volunteers? It will not be easy." I knew she was doing this so as not to think about her daughter fighting for her life in the room opposite us. Jasper, Miller, Monty and Monroe volunteered in an instant, so Abby led them down the hall, and my mid was back on Bell and Clarke. I had seen one of the grounders lay Harper down in the med bay as well, and one of the med techs working on fixing her up, but she was just one of the people I was worried for. If Clarke didn't make it through this, Bellamy may not either.

"Bell, what happened?" He shuddered. "God O. It's all my fault." The pain and grief in his eyes bowled me over. "We thought they left. The twelve men that had survived because of the marrow transplants. Clarke had turned away from the door and was about say something, and then she was falling. Cage, the president's son, shot her. He's dead. Lexa killed him before I could even move. I didn't realize one of them would come back and try to kill her, I'm so stupid. I should have seen it coming. I should have seen him and gotten there before the bullet hit her but I didn't and now she…" He couldn't finish the sentence but I knew what he meant. She may be dying. "It wasn't your fault Bell." I pulled him into me at the same moment that Lincoln rounded the corner and saw us, Raven, Finn and a few others right behind her. They sat down next to us, Lincoln on my right, Bell on my left, and the rest around us and we began to wait. I held my brother, trying to hold him together, willing the girl in the room across from us to live, because otherwise my brother would never be the same.

***8 hours later**

None of us had moved. Monty and the others had come back after giving Maya the blood she needed, the only one who didn't was Jasper, who was staying with her until she woke up. Abby came by the door every thirty minutes or so, but she had duties as chancellor that she couldn't drop, even if her daughter was fighting for her life. It seemed like most of the kids from the first drop were coming by, or sitting in this hallway to.

Bellamy had pushed away from my hold after about an hour and had begun to pace, but he was sitting again. This time him and Raven were clinging to each other, while the engineer who had been following her around, Wick, hovered. I was leaning against Lincoln, trying to force my eyes to stay open. My heart hurt for my friends, for my brother, for me. She was our leader, she couldn't die.

Bellamy shot up as soon as the door across from us opened. Jackson's face was comical when he saw the amount of people crowding in and along the slim hallway of the ark. "She made it. There were a few rough patches, but she made it. The hard part isn't over. She lost a lot of blood, and I have no idea what damage may have occurred. The bullet missed her spine, but it could still cause significant damage. She is sleeping. She is still not out of the woods, but if she could survive that, I feel like she will pull through. She can have visitors, three at a time." Before he even finished that sentence Bellamy was up and pushing past him. Raven and I hot on his heels. We didn't give Abby time to protest, we went for our friend, ignoring Jackson's protest at Abby being left out.

Laying on a bed in med bay, chest rising and falling, and looking slightly more alive than the last time I had seen her was Clarke Griffin. She was swamped by the hospital gown they had her in, but she was breathing and she had survived an eight-hour long surgery with no anesthesia. She would survive this.

Bellamy immediately went to her side and sank into a chair near her. He picked up her hand, wrapped his larger one around it and laid his head on the bed near their connected hands and I watched his shoulders shake. The pent up emotion flooding out of him in tears now. I went to his side. Raven was on her other side, holding her other hand.

I laid a hand on my brother's shoulder. "She did it. She will be okay Bell. She is too stubborn to die, there's no way she dies after surviving what she just did." He didn't respond, but his tears began to subside, his shoulders stilling. We stood there for a few more minutes before Raven spoke. "We should let the others see her. I'm gonna check in on Harper and then let them know that they can start seeing her." I gave her a nod. "Two at a time Ray."

Those were the first words Bellamy had said in almost four hours. I knew what he meant as did Raven. He wasn't leaving until she opened her eyes and assured him herself she was okay. Stupid, silly brother. He loved her. I just hope this makes him realize he needed to tell her. I pressed a kiss into the crown of his hair, and squeezed Clarke's shoulder gently before following Raven out of the med bay.

**Abby's POV***

Seeing your only child brought in on a stretcher and not being the one that could operate on her is the hardest thing any doctor goes through. I learned that today. I threw myself into helping the mountain girl, and once I was sure she was in the clear I went back to the hallway. I was shocked at how many people were lining the hallway.

At the center of it all was him. Bellamy Blake. The man who was systematically dismantling my world, my daughter, and rebuilding her into something that I didn't know. A girl who would march into a mountain for a bunch of kids that were never meant to survive the trip to earth. A girl who would take a bullet for her people. A girl so strong and stubborn, and so far from the softly determined girl that had existed in her place on the ark.

When Jackson said she could have visitors I wasn't even in the first wave. Both Blake siblings and Raven were up and in med bay before I could even stand fully. When only two people came back out I got angry, but I knew my anger would get me nowhere. He wouldn't leave her side. Not at my order. I realized then what I had been watching the last few weeks.

My daughter was in love, and it wasn't with the nice, dependable boy Finn, the one that followed my daughter around like a puppy. No. It was the stranger, the man who should have never met my daughter. The rebel, the would be assassin, the hard-headed and strong willed man that would do anything for his sister. And he loved her. That much was evident by the look on his face. I had walked into the med bay, ignoring the boy who had shot in behind me. My eyes focused on my daughter. He was sitting on her left side, holding her hand in both of his and staring at her, as if by sheer will alone he could get her to open her eyes. He was also ignoring Finn, who was staring at the two in shock and a little bit of anger.

"What the hell happened Bellamy! How did this happen." The boy gazing at her daughter didn't even meet the indignant boy's eyes. "Shut it Spacewalker." While his voice was quiet, it was menacing, a threat. "I won't! God, you should have done something! Why the hell didn't you do something?!" His gaze finally shifted from my daughter to Finn, brown eyes flashing. "You think I wanted this to happen! I didn't see him. None of us did. I would have taken the damn bullet if I could have, but he was fast and I couldn't get between it and her before it happened. It nearly killed me when we cauterized her wound but I held her still so that we could save her life." The man was shaking. "Don't you dare pull your righteous bullshit with me Finn, not when you stayed here, trying to get back with Raven since Clarke didn't want you. Don't tell me this is my fault, because I know that it is, and this is going to be my biggest regret for the rest of my life." His voice had never risen, but the cold tone was gone, and the man looked close to tears. "Just go away Finn. She wouldn't want you here anyway." With that his eyes went back to my daughter and the other boy stormed out.

I remained quiet. I held my daughters other hand and tried not to think about what I had just heard, until Kane appeared next to me. "Abby your needed." I sighed but stood. As I was leaving he spoke again. "You're really going to leave?" I flinched. "I have duties Mr. Blake." He snorted but said nothing else. His disdain was clear enough without words.

As I left I noticed the line of people wanting to see her was still rather long and the pair that went in after I left was a gangly boy with goggles and the Asian boy, the two that had donated blood first for the mountain girl.

She had a whole family now. A whole part of her that I was not a part of, never would have been, and never will be. That thought settled darkly into mind as I walked away from her and towards my duties, ever the dutiful Abby. I would get her back, get her away from all of them, regardless of what I had to do. Especially Bellamy Blake.

***Bellamy's POV**

As people flowed in and out of the med bay I barley registered most of them. My gaze intent on the girl in the hospital bed. She looked so small, so pale. I was terrified that if I looked away for even a few seconds I was going to lose her. I wasn't leaving her side until she wakes up, and maybe not even after that.

I had had eight hours of agony to be honest with myself, and not just that but the pain filled saving her life moments and hike back praying that she made it back to Camp time to come to terms with my feelings. I loved her. I was in love with Clarke Griffin. Strong, beautiful, brave Clarke. The princess who had been a pain in my ass from the moment we landed, but had slipped under and around all of my defenses. I loved her. I have loved her since that night after Dax. I had loved her and lost her to the grounders, to the mountain, and almost to death itself. If there was any time for honesty, it was now. Clarke Griffin had lowered the walls around my heart and I was in love with my strong, brave princess. Now I just had to pray that she woke up soon so that I could tell her.


	13. Chapter 13

**Clarke's POV**

All I remember is pain, pain like I had never felt before. I remember someone talking to me, and yelling and screaming, but it comes and goes. I don't know where I am, or what's going on but I can faintly hear someone talking to me again.

"Come on Princess, open your eyes." The voice was deep and warm, and I pictured someone with fire in his brown eyes with a bright spark of fire, a smug smirk, a deep chuckle, and feelings of safety when I heard that voice.

"Come on Clarke. You can do this. You're so strong. My stubborn, brave Princess. I need you Clarke. I need you to come back to me. I don't know how to do this without you." I heard him, but I couldn't respond.

I was taken back, back to the smirk and hearing _Brave Princess_ but with snark and hate behind it. I hear myself saying _I need you_ and find myself staring at the brown eyes, but there's no fire, only pain, until the spark comes back slowly at my words. I hear myself pleading with a pretty girl for a better solution, I hear myself say _I can't do this without him_.

Whoever he is, he is in all of my memories. I just wish I could answer him now. He sounds sad, and something tells me I don't like it when that voice and those eyes are sad. But I can't answer him. I try, but everything goes black.

The next time I come to I'm back on the ark.

"Hey kiddo."

I whip around, I knew that voice, and who it belonged to. "Dad? Am I dreaming? Am I high again?" He chuckled, "No sweetheart, but we need to talk." I closed my eyes. "I died didn't I."

"You still have a choice Clarke." I opened my eyes and Wells was standing right next to my dad. "Wells!" I can't hold myself back anymore. I hug them both. "You can't stay here kiddo. Not yet." I pull away from him, "what do you mean dad? I'm dead aren't I?"

"We need to show you something Clarke." I turned to Wells, and by the expression on his face I can tell it's serious. "Okay. What is it?" They beckon me forward and turn to the window behind them, except instead of earth I see…myself. Lying in a cot in med bay. Then it hits me. The voice.

 _Bellamy._

He's next to me, clutching my hand, begging me to wake up. And then I spasm, and he freaks out, screaming for help, for my mom or Jackson. I turn away, unable to see his pain. I realize I'm crying when I feel the tears hit my lips. I turn back again and there's Raven at my side this time, and she's begging me to come back home, to choose her first again. I smile sadly, hoping I would be able to do that. I don't want to break my promise. In a flash I see them all, my friends. My family, asking me to come home. It ends with Bellamy again, begging in a wrecked voice, and again I have to turn away. I close my eyes.

"You love that boy kiddo, and he loves you." I open my eyes and meet the replica of my own. I nod. Suddenly clear as day again. I love him. I love his laugh. His stupid smirk. His smile. His dedication to our people, to his sister. His ability to read me like no else ever could.

"You have a choice Clarke. Stay, accept this, and leave him behind, or go back." I turn to Wells, "How?" He smiles, "Its simple, you close your eyes and choose."

I suck in a deep breath, already knowing what choice I have to make.

"I loved you Wells. I am so sorry I couldn't save you." He smiles, deep and warm. "It's okay. I wasn't made for earth. If you can, if you remember this, tell my dad that I love him, and he needs to forgive himself. Forgive you and Bellamy." I nod and then turn to the man I absolutely loath saying goodbye to.

"Come here kid."

I melt into his arms, suddenly feeling like I am ten again. He presses a kiss to my head.

"We will meet again kid, and then you can tell me all about the man that stole your heart. Live Clarke, for me. Forgive your mom. She did what she believed to be right. She always does. Now do it quick, before you can't. I want you to live and love with your whole heart kiddo. Forgive your sins and move on." I pulled away, openly crying. "I promise. I will. I will honor both of you, every day, for the rest of my life. I love you both." They smile at me, before I close my eyes.

 _I choose love, I choose Bellamy Blake. I choose to go back to Raven, to my family._

"Clarke! Come on Clarke don't! Don't die!"

I come to and realize I am still shaking from the seizure. The haze like daydream fades and I feel his pressure on my hand. I squeeze back, is faint but it's there.

"Clarke?"

I can hear the hope in his voice.

"Princess can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can."

I do him one better, I always did have to have the last say in our arguments. I open my eyes, and he is all I can see. He is leaning over me, eyes staring at our connected hands, until suddenly that warm brown gaze is on mine.

"Oh thank god! Clarke!"

He looks close to tears, so I reach up, ignoring the pain, and cup his face. "I'm okay Bell." He chokes on a laugh and then he's pulled away from me. Jackson fills my line of sight, and I frown. He starts checking me over, but I keep moving away from him. Until I hear him. "Clarke, let him check you out. I'm here okay?" I nod, closing my eyes against the harsh light.

Soon after I open them, Jackson leaves, murmuring something I have no interest in figuring out because Bellamy is back and he's my only focus right now. My eyes sweep over him. He looks wrecked. He chuckles. "Look in a mirror princess." Opps did I say that out loud?

I blush as he continues to laugh, and then I pout. He reaches for something behind him after a moment. "want some water?" I nod, blushing again because I'm not used to being under his soft and caring stare for this long.

After I drink, I ask. "How long was I out? What happened?" But before he can answer the med bay door bangs open and I hear running steps. Then Octavia appears and Raven not far behind.

"Oh thank god!"

They say it in unison, and I can't help but chuckle. I simply open my arms, again ignoring the twinges of pain, and surprisingly Raven gets there first.

"I thought we lost you. God Clarke don't ever do that again okay?" She pulled away, and I saw the tears in her eyes. "I told you Ray. I would always choose you first." She chokes back a sob and grins. "Good."

She was pulled away by an eager Octavia. I laugh and open my arms again and she falls into them. "I am so glad you're okay." I just grin, my eyes meeting Bellamy's over her head. He had moved away slightly to give me space after propping me up slightly. His answering smile is soft, his gaze full of adoration. _He loves you_.

I squeeze Octavia to me. "Lincoln?" I whisper it into her ear. She pulls back, grin wider than I think I have ever seen it. "Waiting outside to see you with the others. I would be damned if I wasn't the first one in here. Well besides Bell." Raven hits her. I laugh. My smile wide.

"Give me a second? Then you can let the other hooligans in okay? I just need to talk to Bellamy." They smile and nod, each one hugs me again, whispering that they are glad I'm okay before making there leave. And then he's back, but farther away, and for once I can't read him.

"Bell?" The question in my voice made him come slightly closer, but still out of arms reach. "God you scared me Princess. I thought…" He trailed off. He couldn't meet my eyes. So I started talking. I had to wipe away the pain on his face somehow.

"I heard you. In the mountain. It was you that I hung onto. Your voice. And then again, when I was laying here, I kept hearing you. I have a lot to tell you, but really the main thing, the big thing is that you brought me back Bell. I don't know if you will believe me when I tell you how but you, our friends. Our family, it brought me back. I came back because I wasn't ready to let go of you, them. Of us, yet." He looked up, eyes watering. I repeated my gesture for the others. Arms open. He takes the last step back to me, and leans down to hug me.

I close my eyes once I am in his arms, and let out a deep breath. Safe. Finally, safe. There will be time to talk about everything later, right now I just needed this.

The peace is shattered by a huff behind me. Bellamy tenses, and pulls away, but I grab his hand before he can move too far away. He looks down at our connected hands in wonder, the look on his face makes my smile widen.

I turn to the other person in the room and find myself looking at my mirror in almost every way. "Hi mom." She sobs, openly then and falls into the seat next to me. "Three days Clarke. You have been out for three days. I thought, I thought you were going to die." I shushed her. I held out my other hand and she reached for it but first I met her eyes.  
"I forgive you mom. For what happened with dad. But I need you to hear me when I say that I am not the same girl I was. I have found my people." I squeeze Bellamy's hand as I say it, making his beautiful smile bloom on his face.

"The 100, whatever is left of them. They are my people. Our people. They are my family. I need you to accept that. To let the little girl from the ark, go, because she isn't coming back. I need you to let me be happy. I think that is what dad would want us to do. To finally settle and see eye to eye on something." I pause and pull in a deep breath. "Do you think we can do that? Do you think you can accept that?" Her face falls, I see the heartbreak. "I wouldn't be leaving you mom. Your still my mom. I am just so tired of fighting." She closes her eyes and takes my hand.  
"I was so mad. When they brought you back on that stretcher, I thought I was going to lose you and it made me so mad. I continued to do my duties, I saved that girl form the mountain. Then I came back, and the hallway was full. Full of people wanting to know if you were okay. I wasn't even the first to see you when you came out of surgery. I was so mad, at those kids, at him." She looked over my shoulder and I felt Bellamy tense. Her eyes came back to mine.

"When I finally couldn't stay awake last night I dreamed we were back on the ark. You, your father and I. We were sat around the table, and for once we weren't fighting. Then you disappeared and I freaked out. Your father looked at me and told me that I needed to realize you were a grown up now, that you were doing what you thought was right by going into that mountain and that I needed to forgive and move on, or I would lose you. I woke up after that. Jackson ran by my office, where I was, yelling about you seizing and I was terrified I was losing you." She took a deep breath, "I can give you what you want. I see it now. I am so proud of you sweetie. I just wasn't ready to let you go. To let the way things used to be go, but now I want to be better. For you, for our people." She met Bellamy's eyes again. "All of our people."

I choked back a sob. "I love you mom." I let go of Bellamy's hand and pulled my mom to me. She hugged me back, and we stayed like that for a few moments before she pulled away, wiping away her tears. "I suppose I should give the others their turn. I am sorry for not waiting as Raven asked."

"Its okay mom. Send them in please. I want to see them all. Jasper, Maya, Monty, Miller. All of them." She chuckled, "They all want to see you. Most of them haven't left that hallway for long, or at all, for days." I smiled, knowing my family was okay and waiting for me.

My mom kissed my head and then walked out. I turned back to the boy, no man, that was the biggest motivator to come back. I met his eyes and no words were needed. He just took my hand back and sat next to me. The silence lasted barley a moment before my boys came in. Monty and Jasper, who was pulling Maya by the hand. "Clarke! Thank God!" They were about to ambush me when Bellamy stood again, getting in ther way. "You can't…" Before he could finish I huffed. "They can." He groaned, but got out of my way after telling them to be gentle. I grinned at them and then they were surrounding me, forcing Bell to drop my hand again and step away.

I hugged them back, and they pulled back and started talking at the same time, and apologizing. I cut them off. "There will be plenty of time later to talk about all of that. I'm just glad you are all okay." I looked over Jasper's shoulder at the hovering girl. "You to Maya. And again, thank you for what you did for them. For me." She smiled softly, and Jasper moved away to pull her back and into his chest. "Clarke, this is my girlfriend Maya. Maya this is the girl who saved my life, all our lives, a million times over." My laugh surprised them, I realized tey had probably never heard it, and when Bell let out a chuckle of his own, their eyes widen to the point of saucers, while Maya looked at them, confused.

"Your stuck with a spaz Maya, I hope you know. And those two are sort of a package deal. They don't stay apart for too long." Her smile back was fond. "I know. It was actually Monty who found me and saved my life right before you guys started blowing holes in the mountain."

They stayed and talked for a few moments, reliving some of the battel for me, Jasper waving his hands in his usual animated fashion. Monty, smiling at his best friend's happiness, despite the horrors they had witnessed, they were happy. Maya serenely observed and chimed in now and then, her hand reaching for Jaspers flailing limb, and when she caught hold he calmed slightly, the dopey smile back. Bell chuckled quietly, moving back to my side. "Lovesick puppy was definetly the right term for them, good call princess." I smiled, leaning into the strong man next to me.

Soon they left, and others filtered through. Lincoln, quiet but reverent. "I'm glad your well Clarke." His big hand on my shoulder. "You to Lincoln. I'm sorry it took so long to get to you, but I never got to thank you. For what you did for Finn and I, and for our people." His smile was small and soft. "Octavia's people are my people." I smiled again, and Bell did the same. He held out a hand, and Lincoln shook it before Bell pulled him close. "I am glad we found you. Thank you for taking care of my sister when I couldn't." Lincoln nodded, and all was well there, finally.

Next came the remaining members of the original drop, in pairs of two or three. At the front was Miller and his father. "Clarke." I smiled softly at the quiet, stoic boy. "Miller." To my surprise he reached out to hug me, a hug that I returned.

After he stepped back he gestured to the man behind him. "Clarke, my dad. Dad, Clarke Griffin." He waved his hand between us. Miller Sr. and I started laughing at the same time. His dad answered the question in his son's eyes.

"We have met before. It's nice to see you awake and well again Clarke." I smiled. "Your dad was one of the first ark guards to agree with me on somethings and his help was greatly appreciated. He did it all for you Miller." The boy blushed, but nodded gratefully at his father before stepping over to Bellamy's side. The two talking quietly. Just like old times.

"He looks up to him." I answered the unasked question in the father's eyes, as he watched the actions of his sons. "He is also one of Bellamy's best friends, and most loyal followers." The man simply nodded, before meeting my eyes once more. "Thank you for getting them out of there, making it so they could come home."

"I would die for them. For Miller, for all of them. I am glad I didn't have to this time, but I would do it again to save them all." Bellamy put a tense hand on my shoulder, so I turned. "It's the truth Bell, but don't worry I don't plan on taking any more bullets anytime soon." He chuckled like he couldn't quiet stop himself, and as the Millers left he sat again and pressed a kiss to the side of my temple. "Thank god because let me tell you Clarke that was the worst experience of my life." There was no trace of a joke in his tone, like there had been in mine. He was serious. Once again my father's voice echoed in my head. _He loves you._

"I am sorry for that. But I was serious Bellamy. I am serious Bellamy." He closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath. I can tell he is wrestling with himself about something, but before he can say anything the door opens again and to my surprise Lexa strides through. She signals for her guards to remain at the door before making her way to my open side.

"Clarke, I am glad you are well." Her eyes linger on mine, tucked into both of Bellamy's for a moment before she continues. "You destroyed the mountain Clarke. My people are grateful that you returned so many of their lost back to them."

"I was doing what any good leader does Lexa." She nodded. "When you are healed I would like you to travel to Polis. Both of you. We can discuss a formal treaty of peace between our people."

"I would like that very much. Thank you Lexa." She nodded and as she turned to leave she was stopped by Bellamy's voice. "I never did thank you. For saving her life. For killing him since I was frozen." She met his eyes.

"You are strong Bellamy com Skaikru. Clarke is lucky to have you. I do not require thanks. I kept my end of the deal." Her eyes met mine and I smiled, a knowing smile. "Thank you Lexa." She nodded and then swept out of med bay leaving a confused Bellamy in her path.

"I asked her to make sure you were safe. If something happened to me in there, I asked her to keep you and the others safe. To take care of any of our injured and get them out of the mountain and to safety." His eyes fell shut. "I just never imagined that scenario would include me. I guess I have her to thank for cauterizing my wound huh." His eyes remained close as he nodded. I knew that look.

I squeezed the hand holding mine, making him look at me. "You have nothing to feel guilty for Bellamy Blake. You saved my life as much as she did. I told you that you are the reason I held on, but that is only part of the story."

**Bellamy's POV***

I was confused. Only part of the story? "What are you talking about Clarke?" She took a deep breath, eyes falling shut.

"You won't believe me, or maybe you will either way. I don't remember much, from right after it happened. It's all flashes of your voice and white hot pain. Then I woke slightly here, you were asking me to come back. I heard your voice, but I couldn't answer you. I tried, so hard, but I was pulled under again. The next thing I know I'm standing in my old room on the ark, when it was still the ark. My dad and Wells were there. I thought I died. I thought I was in whatever came next, but they said I had a choice. They showed me, well me. I was here. You were next to me again. I started to spasm and you freaked out and you sounded so hurt I had to look away. When I looked back it was to see Raven, and then in quick flashes it was all of them. Our kids, my family. The scenes ended with you again. Begging me to come back. So I closed my eyes, chose you, chose our family, and then I woke up and there you were."

I was in shock. But I could see there was more she wasn't telling me. "What else happened Princess?"

"My dad, before I decided to come back, he told me to live, to love, to forgive myself for what I had to do, and move on. He told me…" She fell silent, not meeting my eyes. I reached out and tipped her chin up, not ready to not be looking at those beautiful eyes anytime soon. I gave an encouraging nod so she finished her sentence.

"He told me you loved me, and that I loved you back." I froze, in shock once more. Her eyes ducked back down again. "He was right. I do. Love you I mean." Her blue eyes met mine once more, hesitant but determined. "I promised him I wouldn't give up on you, on our love. I chose to live so that I could love you for the rest of my life Bellamy Blake. However long or short that life is."

I gulped, shocked that she loved me. Loved us enough to leave behind the two men she loved for most of her life to come back to this crazy and unstable new life on earth. I realized I still hadn't said anything; I couldn't find the words so I decided to show her instead. I leaned in slowly, my eyes never leaving hers, and when she tipped her head up to meet me halfway, my heart melted. I kissed her, soft and slow.

My world suddenly was centered once more, but in a shocking twist, Octavia wasn't the sole person in the center. This girl with the crystal eyes and stubborn streak a mile wide was standing next to her.

I pulled away from her. "I love you to Clarke." There the words finally found their way out. Her smile was as bright as the sun before she reached up to yank me back down with surprising force before she hissed in pain.

"Shit Clarke, are you okay?" Her eyes never left mine when she said, "Never been better Bell." I chuckled, affection for this girl filling me like I had never truly let myself feel before for anyone but my sister. "Although I could do without the whole having been shot thing. Speaking of, who shot me?"

"Cage." I closed my eyes, and I was back in that room, watching her fall, seeing the surpise and then pain on her face. I was holding her again while Lexa pressed a burning blade into the wound on her back.

I was pulled out of the memories with her hand on my face. "I'm here. I'm okay." I opened my eyes to eyes as blue as the sky. I touched my forehead to hers and took a shaky breath, "when you fell, when I realized what happened I froze. I couldn't move, I couldn't believe it. Lexa killed him, I ran to you and you told me you knew it was too easy, you couldn't keep your eyes open. I thought, I thought you were going to bleed out there in my arms, but Lexa snapped me back to it and proceeded to save your life. When Miller and I had to hold you down, it was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Seeing you in that much pain and not being able to do anything, god Clarke it was awful. It was almost an out of body experience. I barley remember getting here. I'm not proud to say I totally forgot about Harper, and Fox, until we were half way here and I saw a grounder carrying Harper. But I couldn't bring myself to care about anything but getting you back here in time." I took a deep breath, steadying myself by staring at her, and running a hand along the side of her face and taking her hand in my other before continuing at her small smile of encouragement.

"You were in surgery for eight hours Clarke. Jackson mentioned later that he nearly lost you twice. As soon as I could see you I was here. I sat next to you for three fucking days worried that I was never going to see you again. Never going to hear your laugh, see your smile. I thought I was never going to get to tell you that I loved you. That somehow you went from some I merely tolerated to being the thing in this world I care about most besides maybe my sister. The thought of never getting to talk to you, hear your voice again, tell you those things hurt so damn bad. I held your hand and plead with you to come back, because I can't do this without you Princess."

Her eyes shone, and she reached out to cup my face. "I am so sorry I put you through that Bell. It was so hard for me to hear your pain and not answer back, to see you hurting because of me. I love you Bellamy Blake, and I promise I will do everything in my power to make it so that neither of us has to go through that again, but I need you to understand that I am still me. I would still do anything it takes to save our friends, our people. Just like you." I closed my eyes, knowing she was not wrong, on either account. "I know Princess. Let's try to get through this wound and then you can go be your usual self; okay?"

"I can agree to that." Her grin was brilliant. My answering smile was just as bright, as I leaned in, unable to resist kissing her any longer.


	14. Chapter 14

**2 months later***

**Clarke's POV***

I'm not going to say the last two months were easy. They weren't. I had to take everything really slow, which for me is not something I am used to, nor something I am particularly good at. Even now, I have to be careful not to over tax myself because of Cage and his inability to let things go. I am glad that he is dead. Dante was always the more reasonable of the two.

We heard rumors, that the eleven remaining survivors were seen near villages along the way to the ocean, but they wouldn't be able to remain there if they did. Another clan lives on boats out at sea, but they use the shore as well, and while they are not allied with Lexa apparently they don't like to share or appreciate strangers.

As for Bellamy and I, well that wasn't always easy either. It has been hard to adjust to having this relationship and leading at the same time. It's hard to let him go when I know he could be in danger, and it is hard for him to. I think it is harder even for him, than for me because he watched me get shot, and thankfully, he has never been severely injured in that extreme, but I want to keep it that way. We have figured out how to compromise you, as we always have.

That's not to say we haven't been happy. He makes me happier than I have been in a very long time. He has such a big heart, it's what inspires people to follow him, and to know that I am a part of that heart, makes me grin every time I think about it. He says that I balance him out, that I am the head to his heart, and I can't help but agree, but it was Lincoln who told us that it was also because we both possess a fire in our eyes, one that we have allowed to burn for our people, one that has given us the strength to do what we need, regardless of the consequences, and I think he is right. I see that flame every time I watch him, regardless of what he is doing. It helped us get peace.

We have been at peace for two months. No battles, no deaths, no warriors marching on our camp. We have grown in peace. We have built something much more than a camp here. We call it Arkadia now. Fitting for where we come from. The council has gotten better, mainly because the people demanded an election, and chose the council and chancellor themselves. My mom and Kane were not happy with the idea, but it was an idea widely called for, and they knew it was the only way to not have things turn violent so they let it happen.

To no one's surprise but her own, my mom was still voted back as chancellor. She had done a lot of good, much more than bad, and the people saw that. Kane was once again a councilman, but the head of the guard went to someone who deserved it much more. David Miller was voted as head of the guard and councilman. The other three seats were the three most surprising. Bellamy Blake was named councilman to represent the remaining 100, as was I. The final seat went to Monty. He had been the one to keep a level head in the mountain and had been nominated once more to implement that on the council.

Some of the people from the second drop were not happy that they were under the leadership of mostly children, but we dealt with the unrest fairly. And to make the unrest disappear completely I am about to attend my final council meeting, and turning my pin over to an adult. I was choosing to give my seat and my pin up to show that I was not privileged once and for all to quell that last bit of unease that my position created. I was giving it to Sinclair from engineering. He was level headed and I trusted him to think things through, not to mention he was a genius. It also meant that my best friend was getting promoted to head of engineering. I was to be the head medic, so that my mother could focus on her job as chancellor.

Bellamy and the other members of the first drop were not happy I was losing my seat, but I knew it was for the best. I also knew that Bellamy would tell me everything anyway, as did the rest of the council. I was content to handle the day to day things while he kept us all safe. I was also still in power because I was still the only ambassador besides Octavia and Bell that Lexa would deal with. She didn't trust the others, I don't blame her, but I also knew that she would be asking for a permanent ambassador in Polis soon and I knew I would not be taking the offer. I would suggest someone much more worthy for it. Bellamy wouldn't be happy, but I figure I have some time to make him see that this is what is best for us and for Octavia. She is not totally content here, she is too much a grounder to feel at home, this place also reminds her of her less than stellar situation as a child. I don't blame her for not feeling 100% content here. Lincoln would follow her, and care for her. He would help her the way I help Bell and I think we could truly achieve peace and cooperative living if we could make this work.

I am content to take care of the camp in any way Bellamy needs, I don't need to be a council member or ambassador to do that. All I wanted now was to heal people, help them. I was tired of being forced to choose to hurt and maim when I am, by nature, made to want the opposite.

I walked into the council chamber, ready to announce all my plans. My mom and I had talked it over, Bellamy and I had as well, but they were the only two who knew why this meeting was happening as it hadn't been scheduled until yesterday afternoon when I had gone to my mom after my talk with Bellamy.

I took my seat, and once everyone else was there mom kicked the meeting off.

"Let's get started. We are to discuss a solution to the remaining unrest that is sweeping through some parts of Arkadia. Clarke, this is your idea, your decision. Go ahead." I took a deep breath as my mom sat down and stood.

"The unrest is because many feel, even though it was a fair vote that I do not deserve this seat." I held up my hand when I saw Monty and Sinclair's protests. "I know that this was a fair election. But they still feel as though I am to invested. It is mostly because I am the chancellor's daughter, but it is also because I have a relationship with Bellamy. I am not willing to fight for a seat that people don't want me to fill, so I have decided to hand my pin to the person who I think will be a good replacement for me. Sinclair has been notified, and although he is weary, he has agreed to the plan. That would mean that Raven would become head of engineering in his place." I paused, sweeping my gaze through the room.

"The rest of the unrest is because some of us have more than one position, again mostly those of us who come from Alpha. I am going to take over for the Chancellor as head medic. I will still deal with Lexa when needed. I am however nominating someone else to take the primary ambassador position that I know Lexa will be offering Skaikru upon completion of our joining the alliance." I took a deep breath. This was the one thing I hadn't been able to discuss with Bellamy, worrying about his reaction. I also hadn't told my mother the full scope, but she seemed to look understanding. I am assuming she knows what's coming if she has made the same assessments that I have about our grounder situation.

"The grounders don't feel entirely comfortable around a lot of us because our ways of life are very different. There are few people Lexa has been willing to deal with. Two of them are in this room, the other is my vote for ambassador." Bellamy meet my eyes, and nodded, resigned. "Octavia Blake is the only one of us who has truly tried to embrace their culture. She speaks their language fluently, and her relationship with Lincoln has made her valuable to them as much as they are to us. She is also now training with one of Lexa's generals and doing well. I feel that she would be the best to not only lobby for our interests, but also make the grounders see that we can be like them."

All eyes shifted to Bellamy, everyone knew that he would be the biggest outlier in any situation regarding Octavia. "I agree. Octavia is the best suited for this. If she agrees and the council votes in favor I am fine with it Clarke." I smiled softly at him before continuing.

"I will still meet the delegations when they arrive here, as Lexa is most comfortable dealing with me but I truly think that if we go through with this plan, we can have real, sustainable peace. I am wholeheartedly content with giving up my council seat if it means keeping the peace." With that I sat down and my mother stood. "All in favor of Clarke's plan, say aye."

Monty, David and Bellamy all said aye. Kane was suspiciously silent. "I do not feel comfortable once more bowing to the whims of the people. If they see they can achieve change by causing small disputes to break out they will continue to do so and peace will not hold." I rolled my eyes and beat even Bellamy to the punch.

"I see your concern Councilman. However, we are in a new environment and the people are uncomfortable with how closely we have been keeping to the old path. They are tired of the lies and deceit the council had become known for. While it has gotten better, I can also see where their remaining discontent comes from. It looks like I was given the position because I am my mother's daughter and I am Bellamy's girlfriend. I am willing to take the fall. My only ask is that this council continues to see the benefit in changing its tactics. I know that full transparency is not ideal, that is not what I am asking. But the truth, especially when dealing with big problems and conflicts is ideal leadership Kane. That is what I am giving you the opportunity to do here."

David spoke before Kane could reply. "Chancellor, your vote?"

"I'm in favor of Clarke's plan. It makes sense. We agreed when we met on day one that we wanted to do better. I told you all that I want to be better. I am all for this plan, especially since Sinclair was the one who would have won if Clarke's name had not been on the ballot. I think the people will see that we are willing to listen, to make changes where we can to make them happy and realize we are truly aiming for peace. I am not saying I will bow to every whim, but I do see the benefits here, so I am sorry Councilman Kane. The vote leaves you the only nay. Let's bring Sinclair in. As well as Octavia and Raven. Then we will announce the changes to the population tonight. While we wait for them, let's break." She smiled at me and I smiled back. Our relationship was mending, finally.

I turned to the man next to me at my mom's dismissal, paying no mind to David calling the others here. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about O. I was worried about your reaction and I also didn't think about it until I was halfway here."

He smiled, eyes softening. "You're not the only one who has seen that she's restless Clarke. I know her. I think this is what she needs to settle and finally stopping fighting everything. I know you wouldn't purposely danger Octavia, and if you hadn't suggested it, I would have." He surprised me again. He never ceases to amaze me. Gone is the rebel from those first days, here is the man I always knew he could be. I smiled, and leaned into the hand that had come up to cup my face.

"Good I was hoping you wouldn't be mad at me. It would put a damper on your surprise later." I opened my eyes and shot him a teasing smirk. "Surprise huh? Do I get a hint?" I shook my head, hiding my laugh and turned at the sound of the door opening. Sinclair, Raven and Octavia all shuffled in, and mom called the meeting back to order.

**Bellamy's POV***

I watched the others faces as Abby told them what we had just voted in favor of. Sinclair looked resigned, Raven looked bemused, my sister however, looked gob smacked. Clarke stood from her spot next to me to hand Sinclair her council pin and hugged Raven before turning to my sister.

"Why me Clarke?" It was quiet but everyone heard it. Clarke put her hand on my sister's shoulder and said simply, "you're the most qualified Octavia. Not because of your relationship with Lincoln, but because of your dedication to carving yourself a place on earth that you never had in the sky. Thanks to that determination you know more about the grounders than anyone and I trust you to be loyal to both the coalition and to us. Simply put you were readymade for this and Indra and Lexa will agree with that."

I saw the tears in my sister's eyes before she pulled Clarke into a hug. They whispered to each other and then Clarke pulled back and took her seat next to me as O turned toward the chancellor. "If Heda and Indra agree to me as the chosen ambassador than I would be honored to represent this council and Skaikru for the alliance." I was so proud of her in that moment.

"That settles this then. I adjourn this council meeting. Sinclair, with me so I can detail this to you before tonight. All of you will need to be in front of Alpha station before dinner for the announcement." As soon as Abby finished speaking Octavia was out the door, and I thought she was going to tell Lincoln, but to my surprise she was waiting to ambush me. As soon as I was in the hallway, Clarke hot on my heels I had an armful of my sister.

"Can you believe it Bell. Eight months ago I was in the skybox and you were a janitor, now you're a councilman and I am an ambassador and we are on the ground!" I chuckled, reminded of the little girl she was before she was caught.

"I know O. We did good." She pulled back, eyes shining and nodded in agreement. Then she turned, running to find Lincoln no doubt. I felt a small hand touch mine, and I instantly took her hand, leading her out of the ark in silence. Once we were outside I turned to her. "You were brilliant as always Princess."

"Couldn't have done it without you Bell." Her eyes were honest, so I did what I had been wanting to since I saw her stand up for my sister and for our people, again. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her.

When we pulled apart I smiled at the content smile lighting up my princess' face. It was not one I got to see often, but it was becoming a sight I saw more regularly the longer peace lasts. I am not naïve enough to believe that Clarke or I will ever be able to fully relax, and welcome peace. We had been fighting to long for that to happen, but we were both learning that we could relax together and be content that our people were safe, especially on days like today.

By the time it was sundown most of Arkadia knew that whatever the council was announcing was big, and they had figured out that it had to do with Clarke, so there was tension in the air. I hated that people couldn't see in her what I saw. Sure Clarke was young, but that youth was overshadowed by things no one barley eighteen should have to see or do. She never shied away from making the hard choices, even when others (me) did. She was smart, and level-headed. If anyone deserved to be leading this whole camp it was Clarke Griffin. She had told me that she was tired though, and that I could understand. I was tired to, but she had a point, I was way better suited for this life than she was, she was meant to heal not harm and I could see that constantly fighting that nature was wearing her down. Above everything I wanted her to be happy, and this is what she wanted. She could never walk away from leading forever, and I knew that when elections came around she would see her name on the ballot, but if she wanted time to do what she was honestly meant to do, I can't fault her that.

I was so happy that we were finally getting somewhere with the grounders, with the arkers, if Clarke stepping back was what was best I believe her, and I have faith that we can get through anything. I know that as long as I have this incredible girl at my side, I will never really lose, no matter the situation.

We filed out of the ark behind Abby and after the announcements were made, the tension seemed to dissipate, and once again Clarke proved to be right. He watched her smile, that smile that seemed to bathe the whole area in light, and that smile only got bigger when he watched her get pulled into a hug by Jasper and Maya.

The two of them were happy. Maya was sad about her people, especially the loss of her father, but she was slowly finding a family here, and it helped that Jasper, for all his puppy-like qualities, was extremely protective, as was his side-kick. Maya had brought an element of calm into the duo that no one else had been able to achieve, and Bellamy loved her for it, because he no longer had to worry that they were laughing because they were planning on blowing something up; she kept them in line. That's not to say she didn't join in, but the pranks were much safer than they had been around the dropship so Clarke wasn't healing minor scrapes and bruises from their ideas of fun anymore.

What was most surprising was the relationship I could see blooming between my second in command and Monty. They were quiet about it, but I could see in the easy smile on Nate's face when he looked at Monty, or the quiet laugh that the Asian boy could sometimes draw from him. He was glad that his friend was slowly finding happiness again.

As for the rest of the remaining delinquents, they were all on the mend. Harper was up and walking, though she wouldn't let anyone but Clarke or Bellamy touch her, or soothe her. It had been laughable to watch Clarke's ease with her, compared to Abby. Even for all her experience, the kids didn't trust Abby, so they always went to Clarke. If they did get stuck with Abby or even Jackson, they would fidget and be difficult until Clarke arrived. He could tell that it grated on the elder Griffin, especially since Clarke never finished her medical training on the Ark, but no one could deny she wasn't a full medic now. The ground had a way of doing that, and the bond between those of the first drop was apparent in moments like those and everyone was beginning to recognize and respect that.

The others of the remaining 100 had taken Fox's body back to the dropship, to bury her with the others. It had been difficult, but they were all thankful that in the end it wasn't all of them. The kids still woke with nightmares, and Clarke, for all her progress, was no better. I know that her and Raven's decision weighed on her, on both of them, but they were leaning on each other and learning to live with what had to be done to keep their friends, their family, alive.

Raven and Wick were happy, in their own weird way. They bickered more than Clarke and I, but their relationship worked, and I don't think I have ever seen the mechanic this happy. Of course that doesn't matter to the only person who was bound to still be a problem.

Finn followed Raven and Clarke around like a kicked puppy. He kept his distance, but he still trailed after them. Both Wick and I had been tempted to beat him to a pulp to teach him a lesson, but Raven and Clarke had stopped it. He would get over it, he just wasn't used to not being needed, to not being worshipped. I was letting it go but there was only so much that I could take before I got to a breaking point.

I was snapped out of my reverie with a gentle hand falling on my arm. "What are you thinking about so hard Bell?" I smiled down at her, the only person to truly calm the storm that is my brain. "You." Not the whole truth, but it was worth it to see the smile on her face. "Yeah?" I nodded, pulling her into the safety of my arms.

It was a copping mechanism for me. Especially in the aftermath of her getting shot. I needed to touch her, hold her. Reassure myself that she was safe. That she was alive, and here with me and our weird but no less wonderful family. She always comes willingly. A small smile was playing at the corner of her lips tonight, however, and I remembered something about a surprise.

As if reading my mind, the walkie-talkie on Clarke's hip made a noise and then fell silent, causing the small smile to turn into a full on smirk. "Ready for your surprise Councilman?" I chuckled.

"Lead the way princess." She took my hand and tugged me along. Guiding us down the path to the corner of camp that had been dedicated to the remaining 100 and their families. Clarke and I shared a small cabin here, but that wasn't where we were headed. We were headed for the blazing bonfire in the center of what the kids had jokingly nicknamed Camp Delinquent. She turned when we were close to the kids, and the fire.

"They wanted to do something nice for you, to say thanks for working so hard, and then Octavia told us your birthday was in November and they decided to throw you a party." I was shocked, and awed and it must have been written on my face. "You do a lot for them, for us Bell, they want to acknowledge it and thank you for it." I nodded and then leaned down to kiss her, quickly turning it from a soft kiss to a more breathless one. Against her lips I muttered, "something tells me a certain princess had a lot to do with this." She giggled, the sound light and happy, making me grin in response. "I love you Bell. Of course I helped set it up, but this was all them. You mean something to them. You mean something to us."

She pulled me the rest of the way into the circle of teenagers and I put up no resistance. She led me to the center and then waved at Jasper who came forward. "Happy birthday Bellamy! This is your party, you're the man of honor. We wanted to thank you for everything you have done to keep us alive." He turned to Clarke, "The surprise is its actually for both of you. We wouldn't be here without either of you and we are so grateful to you both for bringing us home, for making it so that we have a chance to thrive." Clarke smiled, soft and sweet and nodded. "So drink, and be merry! We call this batch of moonshine victory juice!" Everyone cheered and the party took off.

I was content to just watch my friends enjoy themselves, watch Clarke enjoy herself. As soon as someone had started banging on drums in the form of a beat Octavia and Raven had appeared at Clarke's side and dragged her to what was quickly becoming the designated dance floor. I watched the two women I loved most on this earth smile, and dance together; happy, and I was content.

Raven was quickly pulled into the circle of Wick's arms, and shortly after, to my great surprise, Octavia was pulled into Lincoln's. He didn't strike me as the dance type, but as he swayed with my sister in his arms, I saw the serenity on both their faces and I understood. I wore that same look every time I was with Clarke these days.

Clarke made her rounds, and I was happy to sit and watch her mingle, much like Unity Day all those months ago, although this time I wasn't on guard duty and Monty had swung by shoving a rather full cup of moonshine into my hands and threatening to beam upside the head or lace my food with jobi nuts if the moonshine wasn't gone when he came by again. I had just chuckled, fond of the boy, and brought the cups to my lips. He seemed happy with that and had gone off in search of Miller.

I watched Clarke mess around, and smile and I was glad to see her happy and light again, if only for a few moments, she got to be the eighteen-year-old girl celebrating life and love with her friends. I did frown however, when Finn had popped up at her side and started talking, but before he could get far Clarke said something that shut him up, and made him look like someone killed his puppy, before she was striding over to me and kissing me, hard.

I wasn't about to complain. I loved to kiss Clarke, and I loved to piss the Spacewalker off. She pulled back and then held out a hand in a silent question. I sighed, but took it and found myself on the dance floor, with the girl of my dreams in my arms, and my sister still swaying happily with Lincoln a few feet away. She put her head on my chest, and I wrapped my arms around her waist, and we swayed, much like my sister and Lincoln. We remained quiet, watching our family celebrate, before she looked up at me. "I love our life and our family. I love you Bellamy Blake." I smiled, "I love you to Clarke, so much. Our life will be incredible, so long as you're by myside." She smiled, I saw the tears, but instead of crying she murmured, "Your twenty-four now Bell. How does that feel?"

"I feel like this year will outclass the last by miles. I miss my mom, always will. But O is happy. I'm happy, so I think she would be to. She would have loved you." It was true. She would have had to get over the same bias I did, but I truly did think that Clarke would have won her over. Her blue eyes shone in the fire light, and I knew that if my mom could have seen the fire in her eyes, the fire she lit in my own eyes, she would have loved this girl as much as I do.

Octavia was right earlier, eight months ago I was a janitor, miserable and alone. Octavia was in lockup and my mom was floated. Clarke was in solitary, and had just lost her dad. Now we lead a whole camp full of people, I was on the council and we were together. I never thought that I would get here when that dropship crash landed on earth. Never thought I could or deserved to be this happy. I couldn't be happier to have been proven wrong.

"That means a lot to me that you think so Bell. I'm glad I found you." I held her a bit tighter and leaned my head atop hers. "I'm glad I found you to princess."

As night darkened around them, Bellamy and Clarke were happy to be together, surrounded by their friends. To see them start to heal. If peace could last, they would get to flourish here now. The people around them smiled at their two leaders. They trusted these two young people more than anyone else to keep them alive, but they knew the burdens that entailed. They were glad that they could give them moments of peace and joy. The fire in their eyes is what keeps them alive, but it was the bond that the two had formed that brought them together, and it's what gave them the hope they needed to continue to survive and thrive in this crazy rollercoaster of life on earth. If anyone could do it, they knew it would be Bellamy Blake and Clarke Griffin.

All that's left now is an epilogue! Thank you all so much for sticking with me! I honestly might turn this into a series. I also plan on doing some bonus chapters in other POV's so keep an eye out!


	15. Chapter 15

***Epilogue**

Life after the mountain was not easy. There was a lot of scars, especially among what remained of the 100. They had loved and lost and sacrificed more than any of the others, and as such it bonded them together. They would spend the rest of their lives thinking of those that came to earth with them in that dropship as family. Clarke and Bellamy, the ever present leadership duo, wouldn't let them down. Even without a spot on the council, Clarke was able to save them all, time and again. Either dealing with Lexa and her mood swings or saving lives in medical, she was a hero to those kids.

Bellamy Blake, the man that would lay down his life for any of them, saw her as a hero, yes, but he also saw the girl behind the hero, and she couldn't help but love him more for it. He felt the same for her. She saw the man under the soldier, and loved him all the same, regardless of what sins he may have committed.

The two of them learned that as long as they had each other they were stronger for it. A few years after the mountain, the original drop, and all the drama, early on a quiet summer day Clarke Griffin looked up at Bellamy Blake and took a deep breath. "Bell there is something I need to tell you." Brown eyes met blue, and he read the seriousness there so he remained quiet but motioned that he was listening. She turned in the circle of his arms, to face him straight on. They had been watching the sun rise, a daily habit, and a way to get some quiet time alone. She moved on of the hands cradling her body to him and put it gently on her stomach. "My mom confirmed it last night. Bell, I'm pregnant."

She had no idea what his reaction would be, they had never talked about kids, but she hoped he was happy, because she was quickly falling in love with the idea of being a mother to his child. His jaw dropped slightly, before he shot to a standing position, bringing her with him. His warm hand was still on her stomach and he was staring at it in shock. "Bell?"

That seemed to snap him out of it, and then he was spinning her around, laughing that bright laugh she loved so dearly. "God Clarke really? This is for real?" She smiled at the man she loved with her whole heart, "Yes Bellamy Blake, in about eight months you will be a father." His beaming smile didn't dim, he simply pulled me to him for a long, lingering kiss. "I love our life." It was a quiet admission in her ear, that made her smile grow. "Me to Bell."

The pair sat in silence for a few moments, and then he voiced his thoughts. "I hope it's a girl. With your bright eyes and hair." Clarke smiled, "I think it's going to be a boy. A boy with your dark curls, and brilliant smile." They both fell silent again lost in thought. "As long as they are healthy I don't care." The final admission from the woman he loved made Bellamy smile.

"We deserve this Clarke. This is how we thrive." She nodded, tucking herself against his side in the early morning summer sunshine, quiet and content. Her life was not what she thought it was, but in that moment, there was little Clarke Griffin would change about it, if it still led her here; to the man with the heart that burned for their people and that stoked her own dormant flame into life. Their life would never be easy, this was the ground, but they had proven they could survive. Now, it was time to thrive.

***Eight months and four days later***

Augustus Jacob Blake was born right before the first thaw. He was a beautiful mix of mother and father. He was born with a head full of dark, inky curls to match his father. His eyes were the brilliant blue of his mother's that Bellamy loved so much. The little boy was not the first child born to earth, or to their strange family, but he was loved fiercely.

He never had to look for far before an aunt or uncle appeared to play or sooth a hurt. To no one's surprise the child was stubborn and strong. His parents beamed, he would be strong enough to survive whatever earth threw at him, and he was such a blend of the best parts of Bellamy and Clarke that made him so loved in their corner of the world.

His favorite person, to her great surprise, was one Raven Reyes. He hero worshipped his aunty Ray, and he was her most loyal support, aside from her own husband and their friends. Augustus Blake truly believed there was nothing that Raven couldn't do and she adored the little boy for restoring the confidence in herself she had been losing due to her injuries and the choices she had made. Raven could be heard demanding Gus time more often than any other delinquent and Clarke was more than happy to give her son over to the mechanic, knowing she would teach him and protect him almost as fiercely as his immediate family did.

While Octavia and Lincoln lived in Polis, they still visited Arkadia quiet often, and Octavia was in love with the little boy that would remind her of quiet days in her old home in space, when the mother was gone and the big brother entertained the little sister, adhering to almost every whim. The little boy healed any remaining animosity between the siblings from space, and brought joy to everyone in Arkadia.

Bellamy and Clarke knew that their little boy was proof of what hope and strength could produce. Their little family would grow; it would thrive. And at its center was a Blake boy with the Griffin woman he couldn't survive without. The fire in their eyes now burned for not just their people, but for each other, and for the little boy that was teaching their people to thrive as well as survive, better than any speech ever could.


End file.
